Indiscretion
by LittlePinkRed
Summary: Greetings all! Here's a fluffy, silly little romance fic between Mione and Severus. First fic I've EVER written so be kind, but please give any advice you can think of. Enjoy! Rated M for lated chapters that might be there, maybe ;P
1. The Night Out

Notes at bottom, enjoy!

_**Disclaimer — **_J.K. Rowling is the second richest woman in England (actual fact, go check it out) and I am a lowly American college student. Which one of us do _you_ think owns Harry Potter? All I have are my two-bit ideas and odd witting technique. Cheers!

**Chapter One: The Night Out**

The night out had been Hermione's idea. Her cousin had taken her dancing earlier that summer and she'd had so much fun that she thought it would be the perfect way to end the vacation she, Harry, Ron and incidentally Draco(FOOTNOTE) had spent at Grimmauld Place with Sirius, Remus, and a very grumpy Snape.

She, Harry, Ron, and Draco had spent the last month lounging around relaxing. Hermione had spent her time reading all the books she never got the time to read while at school, and the boys amused themselves with Muggle video games and Quidditch.

Through the last few weeks before school Hermione and the boys had had so much fun together that she wanted to treat them to a wild night of dancing and fun at one of the many wizard friendly clubs in the area. Ron, not being the biggest dancer ever hadn't been too fond of the idea, but Hermione had assured him that the club had plenty of cheap drinks and comfy seats for all the non-dancing types.

They almost hadn't gone once the boys had seen what Hermione was wearing. She knew it'd be risky to try and get away with, but the extremely revealing butterfly top had been collecting dust in the back of her closet for over a year and tonight felt like the perfect opportunity to wear it. One she might never get again.

Sirius, as she'd expected, hadn't been keen to accept this as a reasonable justification for the minimal covering, but Remus reminded him of the "old days" and Sirius shut right up before Lupin could divulge any long forgotten secrets.

Harry, Ron, and Draco seem surprised and all together shocked to discover that their normally "girl-next-door" friend, had grow into a slender, curvaceous woman over the previous year. Indeed, none of the three could seem to keep their bulging eyes off her smoothly rounded hips or her pale, sleek shoulders. Or perhaps it was how the sequins on her long, flowing skit sparkled in the kitchen light. It might also have been how her skin shimmered and glowed from all the glitter gel she'd slathered over her entire body.

Whatever the reason, she'd had to threaten all three of them with unforgivable curses to get them to stop staring at her. Something which made Sirius and Remus chuckle quietly, until she shot them the same death ray eyes she'd given Harry, Ron and Draco, which shut the two older men up right quick.

Snape had remained silent through all the debates over Hermione's attire, but she did catch him watching her as she spun and twirled to show off her ensemble. She'd had to look away to keep from blushing at his gaze.

Through all the years that Snape had been her potions professor, Hermione couldn't help but harbor a small crush on him for his sheer brilliance, regardless of how mean he was to her and her friends. For the past six years she had admired the man's intellect from afar, but this past month they'd spent together in Grimmauld Place, she had begun to notice how undeniably attractive he was as well.

He still wore the same clothes that he did when at school, but his demeanor was different. He read leisurely and seemed more relaxed than he did during their time at Hogwarts. His attitude towards others seemed to have imposed as well, though it took a keen eye (and ear) to notice it. Once, during a midnight excursion to the kitchen, she had heard Sirius and Remus laughing and telling dirty jokes in the kitchen. She'd had half a mind to walk in and scold them before getting herself a drink and a snack, when she heard something that stopped her in her tracks. It was the silken voice of Severus Snape, telling a dirty joke! She hadn't believed her ears until the other two men laughed uproariously. She'd slunk back to her bed empty handed, still not entirely sure what was happening to the normally reserved and grouchy man.

Regardless of the change however, Hermione had decided that it was for the better and she would enjoy it, however long it lasted. The problem with this, though was that day after day in his presence she couldn't help but notice his tall, strong, slender build, or how his black hair shone brightly in the starlight that poured into the library through huge, antique windows. She couldn't ignore the flip-flopping in her stomach every time he asked her to pass the salt, nor could she forget how her skin tingled and her head felt light every time they bumped knees or his strong, rough hands brushed against hers.

She'd even found him reading quietly in the library one day when she'd been searching for a quiet place to loose herself to one of her favorites, _Nineteen Eighty-Four_ by George Orwell. When she plopped herself down in one of the extremely comfortable over stuffed chairs she noticed with surprise that Snape was reading the same book. She'd said nothing, but thought she saw his eyes flick up once to see what she was reading than flick quickly back to his own book. For a split second Hermione was sure she'd seen an approving smile dance across his normally stoic and ever handsome features.

Hermione had been quite surprised when Snape had insisted on coming with them to the club. She'd never thought him to be much of a dancer, but he was quick to justify his coming by saying that someone needed to be there to "remain sober and take note of everyone's indiscretions" in case the information should "prove useful later."

Harry and Draco had paled at his and Ron had very nearly fainted and begged Hermione not to make him go, but her insistence won him over.

"After all," She said, "So long as you boys remain sober and on your best behavior, Snape won't have any dirt on you anyway!"

None of them appear very comforted by this, but they went along with Hermione regardless.

* * *

Once they'd reached the dance club Hermione led them to a table off in one corner and soon after a waitress came to take their order.

"I'll just have some water please," said Hermione, who had never quite acquired a taste for alcohol and preferred to remain in her own mind instead of floating off somewhere in the ether, only to come crashing back down the following morning with a splitting headache and a lot of nasty looks from friends and neighbors.

"Me too!" Chimed in Remus who had never been a very big drinker himself.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to drink up plenty for both of you than," said Sirius. "I'll have whatever local brew you've got behind the bar and a double shot of firewhisky."

"And for you?" The waitress inquired, turning to Harry, Ron, and Draco.

"Erm. . . um. . ." Stammered Ron, completely put off at having to order a drink.

"Oh Merlin, get these boys some shots of firewhisky on the double and keep 'em coming!" Sirius said, laughing at the shock and embarrassment plastered across Ron's face, as well as Harry's. Draco meanwhile seemed only slightly amused and kept his smirking mouth shut.

"And you?" The waitress said, finally rounding on Severus.

"Water, thank you." He answered simply.

Hermione smiled, _just one more thing to love about the guy,_ she mused to herself. _Blindingly intelligent, ravishingly handsome, excellent taste in books, and he doesn't drink!_

A pulsing beat brought her out of her thoughts as she realized that the DJ had started played one of her favorites songs, _Listen To Your Heart_ by DHT. She squealed with delight and jumped up from the table.

"Where are you going?!" Harry and Ron asked in unison sounding just like an abandoned puppy looks.

"Well we're at a dance club, so I'm going to go dance!" She answered as she twirled off under the enchanted, colored strobe lights.

Hermione had always loved to dance, but for years had been too shy to do so outside of her locked bedroom. The last year or so though she'd begun to realize that if she didn't step out and take a chance every now and than, she might very well die an old maid with fifty cats, never having lived at all.

That thought frightened her so much that she decided that this, her last year at Hogwarts before graduation, was her chance to break out of her shell and be the woman she always truly wanted to be. She was sick and tired of being boring old know-it-all Hermione Granger, she wanted to be care free, happy, playful, and even sexy. She wanted to wear make up and jewelry, flip her hair and giggle with Ginny and Luna openly, and even show up late to classes, frazzled and mis-dressed. Well, maybe not that last bit, she was still herself after all.

Hermione allowed the rhythm and beat of the music to overtake her as she swished and moved in time with the rhythmic lights. When the song changed she stayed there, dancing by herself amid the throng of other dancers. She didn't care how she looked, or who might be looking. Here, in the music, she was free from everything and everyone. For five more songs she danced alone until she felt someone wrap their arms around her and turned around to see who it was. To her surprise she found Draco smirking at her.

"Mind if I join you?" He asked.

Hermione stared at him blankly for a moment before eventually finding her tongue. "Um, alright." She said, still very much confused.

"Look 'Mione," Draco said, as he fell into step beside her as she slowly began to dance again. "We've had a really fun time this past month, right?"

She nodded, still confused but getting back into the groove of the music.

"And we can't really be _friends _once we're back at school," Draco continued. "So I just thought, why not enjoy the night?"

"Did, you just call me ''Mione?'" She asked, but spoke again before he could retort, "You're not half bad either _Draco_. So yes, let's enjoy this night."

Draco smiled and grabbed her hand and spun her around. Hermione saw through the crowed her table of men, young and old, all scowling at the Slytherin head boy and infamous prat dancing with the goody-goody head girl of Gryffindor. All save for Severus, who had his back to the two.

After the song ended a slower one began and Hermione and Draco danced their way back over to the table. Hermione greedily drained her glass of water and flopped back down into her seat between Remus and Harry.

"Having fun?" Ron said, coldly.

"Yup!" Hermione answered gleefully, completely ignoring the reproachful tone in Ron's voice.

"I might just have to tie you down young lady." Remus joked.

"Yeah, you're going to get yourself in trouble if you keep shaking those hips of yours around like that!" Sirius added taking a swig of his beer.

Hermione laughed at the over protective men who'd come to be like brothers to her. After resting long enough to down a second glass of water, Hermione was once again drawn out to the dance flood by another of her favorites, a new Nickleback song. Sirius and Draco both joined her, but were soon pulled off into the crowd by other woman dancing alone.

Harry and Ron were also approached by two girls looking for people to dance with. Harry immediately said yes, but only after Ron realized that if he didn't say yes he would be stuck at the table alone with Snape (Remus having deserted him temporarily) did he accept the hand of the rather attractive girl.

Hermione lost track of them all, loosing herself to the music once again. This was better than any drug Muggle or Wizard could concoct. This was better than any amount of alcohol man could ferment. This was better than sex, or so she'd experienced thus far. Sure, there had been boys, two to be precise, but they were young and knew little of how to treat or please a woman.

Suddenly Hermione felt a different set of hands snaking their way around her waist and when she turned to see who it was this time she found not one of her friends, but a tall stranger leering at her.

"Excuse me," She said, trying to break free of his grasp, but once she managed to turn around she found two more strange men closing in on her.

She turned back to the first man, panic quickly rising in her head as her heart began to race. She couldn't see Sirius or Harry or even Draco or Ron, no one would be able to hear her if she called out, she was too close to the speakers.

Silently, she screamed for help with her mind to whoever might be listening and prayed that someone would have heard. She tried to grab her wand by her arms were quickly retrained by the two cronies behind her.

"Now, now, that wouldn't be very polite. We haven't even been introduced," Said the stranger. "I'm Drake, and these are Bill and Keith." His two lackeys nodded one after the other.

"Well," Hermione stuttered, trying to by herself some time to think of what to do. "Isn't this charming! All the same to you three, I think I'll be going now," She said as she once again tried to break free, only to find that the men had a firm grip on her.

"Come on now pet!" Said one of the men holding her wrists.

"We won't hurt ye!" Added the other.

"Much!" Said the first now closing in on Hermione.

She was about to scream when there was a flash of light and she saw Severus holding his wand to the throat of the advancing stranger.

The other two quickly released her and attempted to go help their companion. _Bad move_, though Hermione as she reached for her own wand and quickly cast a new spell she'd thought up with the help of the Weasley twins Fred and George. With one swift flick the two were paralyzed from the neck down.

Hermione ran around behind Severus who extended his other arm to catch her and hold her close as he began to speak to the men who had attempted to assault her.

"You three," He said "Should consider yourselves lucky I'm in a giving mood tonight, and that this woman has the kind heart she does, otherwise I'd wager you'd never be able to _stick_ a woman again weather she was willing or not." With that he flicked his wand and the three flew backwards into the stage collapsing into a pile on the floor, only to be swallowed up by the dancers closing in around them.

Hermione tried to stammer out a thank you but Severus stopped her. "I only stepped in because you nearly knocked me over with that _scream_ of yours, and you sounded out of your mind with fright. In any other situation I'd have left you to defend yourself, something you should really learn to do if you intend to make a habit of dancing in 'clothing' like that on a regular basis."

"Well, thanks anyway." Hermione said, blushing choosing to ignore the traces of coldness in Snape's voice, because she could tell from the undertone that he was relived she was alright.

A new song had started. A remix of some Danish pop song.

"Hey," She said, not allowing herself to think as he lead her back to their now abandoned table. "Would you like to dance with me?"

Snape looked utterly taken aback for a moment. He opened his mouth, Hermione guessed to turn her down, but before he could get any words out she'd grabbed him and pulled him into a quiet corner of the dance floor, completely obscured from view by one of the massive pounding speakers.

At first Severus was embarrassed and attempted to get away from Hermione's grasp, but she looked up into his incredibly dark eyes and all objections he may have had melted away as he pulled her into his arms.

She spun around and rocked her hips into his. Together they swayed slowly until the song had ended and another began. Severus had stopped moving and Hermione turned to see what was wrong. He was looking at her with the same expression he wore when he was reading one of his favorite parts in one of his favorite books back in the library of Grimmauld Place. He smiled and pulled her hands to his mouth as if to kiss them. But before his lips made contact he was gone, striding quickly back to their table.

Hermione stood there a moment, shocked. _Did that really just happened? It couldn't have! It just couldn't have! The—so hot!—greasy git doesn't have feelings!_ Hermione thought to herself._ He . . . he . . . first he saves me, than he _dances_ with me . . . oooh the dancing! _She shook the silly thought away. _It must have been a fluke,_ she decided finally. Maybe Snape had stolen some of Ron's shots to save him the embarrassment of not wanting to drink them.

Finally she went back to the table where she found Remus, Sirius, Harry and Ron all panting and guzzling water in place of their liquor.

"Had enough have you?" Hermione asked, masking her confusion and shock under a bright smile.

"Oh, you're one to talk!" Ron wheezed.

"Oh shut up Ron," Harry interjected.

Hermione giggled at her friends and tried not to look at Severus who seemed very interested in whatever book he'd brought with him to pass the time at the club.

She tried not to think about his body pressing against hers, so warm and so comforting. She tried not to think of his hands holding hers, so strong and so rough. She tried and decided that it really was probably that he'd been stealing Ron's shots and that by tomorrow, all of tonight's "indiscretions" would be forgotten, a memory left only for Hermione, the lonely sober one.

Try as she might, she couldn't keep the smile of a secret off her face causing Remus to question her. "And what are you looking so smug about 'Mione?" He asked leaning over towards her.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all." She answered, looking directly at Severus, who for a split second looked up into her eyes and blushed.

Later Hermione would tell herself that it had only been a trick of the light and the heated climate inside the club that had caused Severus' cheeks to turn pink. But in her heart, she knew that wasn't true.

* * *

**FOOTNOTE: **Draco had been staying at Grimmauld Place for the entire summer by decision of The Order. They were concerned about Lucius Malfoy and what he might do to his son so they extracted Draco at the beginning of summer and placed him in Sirius' care. At first things were as to be expected: Draco hated Sirius and Grimmauld Place and spent every day pouting in his room. Finally though, he'd decided to try and get along with Sirius and the two now laughed and joked like old pals.

Both she, Ron and Harry were wary of this transformation having had to put up with Draco's teasing, pranks and overall pratishness for six years now, but it was Hermione who warmed to the blond outsider first. Harry and Ron weren't _quite_ fine with him just yet, but they managed to remain civil and at times even friendly. Hermione had even heard the three laughing together on more than on occasion since they'd been there.

* * *

**Notes from the author**

Greetings and salutations! This is just a quick note to explain some things about this fic, as well as the faux canon used in it.

First and foremost, I am not a writer, so if you're expecting high quality, go somewhere else. I do only my best and I make no claims that my best is anywhere near professional quality literature. Also, if you have any constructive critique (something along the lines of "I like where this is going, but X and Y are a bit confusing. Perhaps you could clarify. . ." etc. NOT "This sucks, get a life") I welcome it. I MORE then welcome it, I BEG for it. Nothing thrills me more then hearing how I can improve, and how I'm doing.

Now that that's out of the way, let's go over the canon I'm completely _making up_ here. I really freaking _hated_ OOTP, HBP, and DH, so I've ignored them, to a point. Dumbledore is still dead tear, but it's for a good reason in the end. For now let's just assume that someone other then Snape killed him, maybe a Malfoy, it doesn't really matter, he's gone. Everyone else who was supposed to have died, has obviously not. Harry and the gang had it out with Lord Spooky-Pants (who is dead and gone, along with the more unsavory of his followers) somewhere between forth year and now, but I won't EVER get into that, so don't ask. Also, Umbridge _has_ existed, and was carried off and hopefully molested by pissed off centaurs, never to be see, again, we hope.

Basically, the war is over and everything is happy hunky-dory and the golden trio is off on their seventh and final year at Hogwarts. Oh, and I'm not sure what I did with Draco's parents. I think for now we'll just say that they are not pleased with the outcome of the war, and you probably won't be seeing them AT ALL in this fic.


	2. Frivolous Fiction

_**Disclaimer —**_J. K. Rowling is the second richest woman in England (actual fact, go check it out) and I am a lowly American college student. Who do you think owns Harry Potter? All I have are my two-bit ideas and odd writing technique. Cheers!

**Chapter Two: Frivolous Fiction**

Late the next morning Hermione made her way down to the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Still slightly groggy and hung over from the night before (they hadn't gotten in until after two in the morning!) she kept her eyes nearly shut and lead herself by touch along the worn, dark wood walls until she finally reached the kitchen door.

Before entering she paused a moment to see if she could hear anything through the door. From the kitchen side all she could hear were the faint sounds of Ron and Harry playing a game of Wizard's chess while still obviously half asleep.

Pressing her ear even more firmly against the door Hermione could hear Sirius and Remus talking and very faintly the sound of someone biting into a piece of toast. She assumed it was Draco, as she highly doubted Snape would be joining them after last night.

"Spying are we?" Came an amused and smarmy voice from just behind her.

Startled Hermione jumped and spun around to see none other than Draco Malfoy smirking at her.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something scathing to wipe the annoying grin off his face when he doubled over laughing. Rolling her eyes and scowling Hermione shoved Draco's shoulder and told him to shut up as she pushed the kitchen door open. Stepping in she found that the toast eater was none other than Severus, Harry and Ron's "greasy git." _Hm, so I was wrong,_ Hermione thought to herself. Unconsciously she continued to stare as he munched on his breakfast and read the Daily Prophet.

The sound of Ron calling to her brought her mind back to reality.

"What?" She asked, shaking herself slightly to disperse the daydream threatening to invade her making thoughts.

"I only said good morning," Ron said, looking puzzled at his friends' behavior.

"Oh!" She cried, "And a very good morning to you Ronald. Loosing again I see." She noted, coming over to observe the game.

"Am not!" Ron exclaimed as one of Harry's pawns assaulted one of Ron's rooks.

Hermione decided it would be best if she said nothing and kept her amused grin to herself as she began scouring the fridge for breakfast.

"Sirius!" Hermione cried as she snooped around the fridge. "Why do you _never_ get two percent milk – a request I make _**every time I look in this fridge**_?!"

Sirius sighed and stood to get himself something to munch on. "Because," he said, shoving past her to get at the cold cuts, "I feel that it is my personal responsibility to get some meat on those skinny little bones of yours." Tickling her exposed midriff as he spoke.

Hermione squealed and leapt away from him, colliding with Draco who swooped around in front of her yelling "Oh guard!" and brandishing a jam coated butter knife.

Sirius reacted quickly and spun around to grab a spatula from next to the stove. He and Draco stood there, unmoving and staring at each other menacingly until Remus yelled, "GO!" at which point the two men leapt at each other yelling and swiping at each other causing Hermione to double over in a fit of giggles. She tried to tell them to cut it out but was laughing too hard to do so, so instead she waved her wand and the two froze mid attack.

"Hey!" They yelled in unison.

"We weren't done yet!" Draco complained.

"Yeah," Sirius added, "I was just about to pulverize this blond show off."

"Bullocks you were!" Draco retorted.

"Oh please, I'm over twice your age and in _prime_ physical condition." Sirius said as he attempted to show off his "prime physical condition." This only made Hermione giggle harder and she was forced to sit down on the cool, stone kitchen floor.

Draco rotated his head (the only part of their bodies either of the men could move) to look at the laughing pile of girl now lying on the floor.

"You planning on releasing us any time soon?" Draco asked, but all Hermione could do was continue laughing hysterically.

After she'd quelled her laughter somewhat, Hermione began to drag herself up off the floor when she felt someone moving behind her. Before she could turn to see who it was, the someone spoke with the unmistakable voice of Severus Snape.

"Now, now Miss. Granger," said the self-important voice from behind her. She felt her body tense as Severus moved around her to get to the sink. He was so close she could feel the heat from his body. _Just like last night,_ she thought.

"I would think," he continued, "that the nineteen year old head girl of Gryffindor could behave with at least _some_ semblance of maturity."

Hermione would have responded with a charming and witty retort had Snape not been standing so close. So close she feared she might fall over from being so lightheaded. Luckily, Harry filled the gap in the conversation.

"Geez professor, school doesn't start for two more days and we don't leave for Hogwarts until tomorrow! Why not give her a break! We're supposed to be on vacation after all."

"Indeed," added Remus, "a break would be highly recommended. That includes you Severus." He added with just a shadow of a smile.

Snape grumbled but said nothing out loud, instead choosing to focus his attention on loading the magical dishwasher Mr. Weasley had finally perfect (by magically enchanting a Muggle dish washing machine) one month previous.

Still paralyzed by Snape's closeness, Hermione didn't remember to reverse the spell on Draco and Sirius until they both yelled her name.

"Oh keep your panties on!" She said exasperated.

"If you'd undo the spell—" Sirius started to say but before he could finish Hermione had reversed her paralysis spell and Sirius and Draco were both free.

"Blimey woman!" Exclaimed Draco, bending over from the shock of the after effects of the spell. "That bloody thing _hurts!_"

Hermione smirked and gave a little curtsy.

"Suggestion from Fred and George," she explained, "they thought it would be more effective if I added a 'pins & needles' sensation as an after effect. Glad to know it works."

Draco scowled but kept the rest of his complaints to himself and went back to rubbing life back into his limbs.

"I have to say 'Mione," Sirius said as he nursed his own arms, "I'm surprised! That's quite a nasty prank spell you've got there." As he spoke he gave her an amused look and it almost seemed to Hermione like there was even a hint of pride in his tone.

"Well," she said, trying to hide the blush creeping into her cheeks. "I did learn from the best."

Sirius smiled and pulled her into a warm hug.

Harry, Ron, and Draco resumed one of their heated conversations about Quidditch and Remus ninjaed Snape's abandoned newspaper.

Hermione swore she saw Snape stiffen when Sirius embraced her. _Could it be . . . ?_ she thought. _No._ She silenced the hope she refused to admit, even to herself. He was her professor, she his student. Nothing more. Ever. _But last night,_ the thought circled around and around her mind unbidden. She did her best to bury it, but nothing seemed to make it go away.

Once Sirius released her, Hermione shook herself and went back to searching the fridge for something edible to serve as breakfast. Finding only whole milk she resigned herself to a _small _bowl of cereal and turned to grab a bowl from the cabinet only to find Severus squarely in her way. Sighing again she reached around him to get at the cabinet and was surprised when he nearly jumped as she reached one arm around him to grab a clean bowl.

"Sorry." She said, hiding her scarlet cheeks behind a mass of honey brown curls.

Snape made a grunt of mild annoyance and went back to ignoring her presence.

* * *

After breakfast Harry, Ron, and Draco dragged Hermione off to help them defeat a strange Muggle video game that involved two pains of players racing around increasingly difficult cartoon-esque racecourses while all of their opponents chucked what appeared to be turtle shells and bombs at one another. The boys were trying to open up some secret new level and need another "gunner" to accompany Draco, who usually drove solo.

The four spent the remainder of the morning and all of the afternoon racing around and around and around until finally Draco said it was giving him a headache and Harry and Ron agreed that some fresh air was in order. Hermione took this opportunity to slip back to her room and grab a good book. The weather was gorgeous, but this was her last day before school and she had promised herself that she would read no less than thirty non-school related and non-nonfiction before the summer was up and she was almost finished with her thirty-fifth, an intriguing story about a magical castle that moved along the countryside aided by a fire demon.

Grabbing her book Hermione went to the kitchen to grab something more to eat while she read and then made her way to the Grimmauld library, easily her favorite room in the entire, huge house. At first she didn't even realize there was anyone else in the room and went about getting herself settled in her favorite chair just as she usually did. A noise from across the room caught her attention though and she looked up into the deep, black eyes of Severus.

For what seemed ages the two stared at each other unsure what to do or say, then finally Snape rose from his spot on the couch and approached her. Hermione stood nervously and watched his feet clad in their normal, black leather boots, getting closer and closer to her. Finally the boots stopped and Hermione looked up as Severus began to speak.

"Trying to squeeze in some more frivolous fiction I see?" He said, his voice laced with spite.

Hermione faltered, suddenly unsure of herself under his intense gaze. If it hadn't been for last night she would have simply replied with something witty and possibly smarmy, but now. . . Now that she knew what his body felt like pressed against hers. . . Now that she knew what those hands felt like holding on to hers. . . Now she couldn't think of a single thing to say and just stood there in silence.

Severus smirked at her and turned to leave. Hermione lowered her eyes to the floor silently screaming at herself for being so childish and stupid. _What is the matter with you?! Why didn't you say something, _anything_?! _Her mind screamed over and over again. Suddenly she saw Snape's boots stop just shy of the door. They slowly began to turn around and then walk back to the chair opposite Hermione. Confused Hermione looked up to see what he wanted now.

"I believe this is yours." As he spoke he extended a hand towards her and, learning forward Hermione could see that cupped in the palm of his hand was the locket her mother had given her at her eighteenth birthday celebration. In it was a picture of Hermione and her parents, and opposite it was a picture of Hermione with Harry and Ron after one of their victorious school Quidditch tournaments.

"Oh," Hermione said lamely, extending a hand to receive the necklace, "Thank you, it must have come off. . ." She trailed off, scared of what might happen if she brought up last night. Not wanting to venture into dangerous territory she looked to his face for some hint as to what he remembered. She found him looking at her blankly.

"Yes, last night." He said simply, giving no indication of what he might know. He than dropped the locket into Hermione's outstretched hand and turned and walked quickly out the door.

Hermione collapsed into the chair behind her and heaved a heavy sigh.

"This is why I treat myself to 'frivolous fiction,'" She spoke aloud to the walls covered in rows upon rows of books. "It's so much simpler than real life."


	3. DDay

_**Disclaimer — **_J. K. Rowling is the second richest woman in England (actual fact, go check it out) and I am a lowly American college student. Who do _you_ think owns Harry Potter? All I have are my two-bit ideas and odd writing technique. Cheers!

**Chapter 3: D-Day**

The day of departure finally arrived. Hermione awoke early, filled with excitement. This was the most important year of her life and she couldn't wait to get it started. She also couldn't wait to get to Hogwarts to see the famous Head Girl suite, which she would be living in.

She made her way down to the kitchen for some breakfast and a little last minute reading. Remus greeted her as she walked through the door. Smiling she glanced around to see if anyone else was awake; anyone tall, dark, and handsome with a less than charming personality. Surprised to find no Snape in his usual spot reading the paper she was about to ask Remus where he was, but stopped herself just in time. He must have seen the confusion writing on her face because when she turned back he glanced at Snape's empty chair, than back at her and shrugged.

Hermione shrugged as well and set about finding breakfast.

After nearly two hours of leisurely eating, reading, and chatting with Remus about the upcoming school yeah, Sirius trundled in, his bathrobe dangerously loose and his eyes still mostly closed. Without so much as a word he opened his eyes enough to find Remus at glared.

Remus merely smiled smugly and hid behind his mug of coffee.

"You." Sirius said, glowering at his friend, "Are going to pay."

Hermione looked with amused suspicion from one to the other. Remus attempted a "Who, me?" innocent face and failed miserably. Rolling his eyes he spoke.

"Oh really, it wasn't that bad." Remus said, taking a sip from his coffee and attempting to go back to the newspaper in front of him.

Sirius shot him a look of pure hatred and began gulping down milk straight from the carton. Hermione was brimming with curiosity and nudged Remus with her foot to try and goad an explanation out of him. Sighing he dropped the paper to the table and spoke.

"All I did was set an alarm for him so we might at least have a _chance_ of leaving on time." Remus explained to Hermione.

"An alarm?!" Sirius cried, milk dripping down his scraggly beard. "An alarm would have been fine, even a good idea. No, you, my devious friend set _FIFTY_ alarms!! How deeply d'you s'pose I sleep anyway?!"

"Fifty?" Hermione asked, trying to keep from laughing at the hilarious image.

"_YES! __**FIFTY!!**_" Sirius wailed.

"Surely it couldn't have been _fifty_!" Hermione exclaimed, beginning to giggle.

"It was too," Sirius replied, wiping his chin. "I had to get out of bed and turn them off one at a time." He glared at Remus once again with even more spite.

"Remus!" Hermione said, turning to him.

"What?" He answered, trying his best to hide the evil smirk itching to take over his face. Hermione was about to chide him but changed her mind, after all, they were usually running late to get to platform nine and three quarters anyway and it certainly wouldn't kill them to _try_ and be on time for once.

"I certainly hope you set alarms for Ron, Harry, and Draco too, otherwise your waking Sirius will have been completely in vain."

Remus merely smiled slyly and went back to his coffee. Before Hermione could even question him there was a very loud commotion from upstairs and the three could hear Harry, Ron, and Draco all screaming some very loud and nasty obscenities. Hermione looked at Remus and the two dissolved in laughter, as the cries of anguish from over their heads grew steadily louder. Sirius began to laugh with them, supporting himself on the counter and allowing his annoyance at being woken early to fade.

Hermione managed to swallow her laughter to a containable level. Turning to Remus she had to stifle another bout to try and speak.

"How . . ." She choked out between gasping breaths. "Many?!" Gasping and wiping his eyes Remus struggled to answer her, finally managing to choke out two words.

"Fifty . . . Each!" At this, Remus lost all semblance of trying not to laugh and doubled over in his chair clutching his stomach as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Sirius and Hermione were crying and laughing as well when the three very cranky seventeen-year-old boys burst through the kitchen door looking accusingly at the hysterical three.

"What the BLOODY HELL is wrong with you three?" Ron bellowed, turning about the same color as his hair.

"Don't look at me!" Hermione cried, swallowing her laughter and holding her hands over her head in a show of innocence.

The three simultaneously turned their heads to face the now slightly more sober Sirius.

"Oh come on!" He said, rolling his eyes and smiling. "How cruel and conniving to you really think I am?"

With that the three turned on Remus and started to advance, murderous looks upon their faces.

"Thanks Padfoot." Remus grumbled as the three teenagers advanced on him. Before they reached him however Hermione raised her wand and conjured three tall stacks of warm, chocolate chip, buttermilk pancakes, one floating temptingly in front of each boy. Ron's stomach growled loudly and the severely cross expression on his face softened slightly.

Harry and Draco's stomachs fallowed suit and each growled their own hungry rumblings as Hermione floated the illusionary pancakes over to the counter. Once Ron, Harry and Draco had fallowed them over Hermione dismissed the mirage food and revealed in its place an array of pancake ingredients on the counter in front of them. The boys blinked confused and turned quizzical looks to their friend.

"Stop whining and start cooking!" She said simply.

Harry sighed and started measuring flour into a mixing bowl. Draco and Ron glowered at Hermione, but set to work helping Harry wordlessly.

"By the way," Said Harry, breaking eggs into a separate bowl. "Where's Professor tall, dark, and cranky?"

Hermione, Sirius, and Remus all shrugged in unison. Apparently Snape was making himself scarce today. Hermione allowed her mind to wander and wonder what he was up too as the boys continued to work on breakfast.

* * *

_He was reading a personal favorite, _1984_, in the dark, dusty library when she walked in, the bane of his existence: Hermione Granger. Possibly the most intelligent and simultaneously the most annoying student — nay, _person_ he had ever known. She plunked herself down in a reading chair opposite him and he had the use all the will power he possessed to keep himself from grimacing aloud._

_Glancing up momentarily he was shocked to find the Gryffindor know-it-all reading the same book! _Who knew the girl had taste!_ He wondered to himself, averting his eyes quickly so as not to be seen watching her. He felt a strange feeling well up in his gut. It danced up and across his face. Amusement, he realized. Dismayed he realized he was smiling slightly at the unfamiliar emotion, and quelled it immediately._

_Try as he might he found himself completely unable to concentrate and risked another glance up at the girl across from him. She had rested her head on her hand and leaned into the side of the over stuffed chair, curling her legs underneath her. As he watched, her voluminous, brown hair fell across her face and she swept the mass back over her shoulder, revealing her long, slender neck and pale collarbone._

_Severus felt his organs twitch and skitter about as though he were some addle minded youth. Scolding himself fiercely he refocused his attention on the book in front of him. He just couldn't get his brain to focus on the pages however and found his thought and eyes being drawn back to the girl across from him. _No,_ he thought, _Not a girl, a young woman now.

_And indeed she was. Though her idiot friends didn't seem to notice, their female companion had grown into a real _woman_ since last year. Her hips, while still narrow, had rounded out into a more adult form. Her bust, which he avoided looking at directly, had expanded as well. Her legs had gone from being twiggy and awkward to curvaceous and enticing._

_Swallowing hard Severus made a final attempt to squash the perverse thoughts swirling around his mind. _You idiot, she's just an annoying little girl! _He told himself. However the rest of his anatomy didn't seem to be listening. He grimaced at his own inability to control his mind and body. _You're just imaging things; she's not really _attractive!_ You've just been sniffing too many insert potions by first years. It's addled your mind._ As if to prove this conclusion to himself, he risked looking up from his book again to further examine Ms. Granger. There she was, to his abject misery, attractive young woman, Hermione Granger. _Damn,_ he though, and went back to his book, sulking._

_For another hour he was able to keep his infuriating mind at bay until he heard a strange sound from the chair across from him. Not daring to look up again he tried to identify the noise. It wasn't a snore, he decided. He'd dormed with snorers back during his days at Hogwarts and had grown quite accustomed to the sound. It had sounded almost like a sigh, but somehow different, softer and more involuntary. Trying to decipher the noise was driving him crazy and finally he gave up and raised his head to see if looking at the girl held any answers._

_What he found upon looking up was the sleeping form of Ms. Granger. It took him a moment to register what was before him. Again there was the sound, now obvious as the soft mewls of a sleeping girl. Her image captivated him and he found he could not look away. He decided it might be safe to allow his eyes to linger, as she was asleep and couldn't notice._

_As he watched he found the feeling rising in his stomach again, this time it was different though. He no longer felt amusement, but something else: Peace. Sitting there, watching her still form breathing slowly and steadily, was bringing him peace, a feeling he had never truly known. _So what makes you think that's what you're feeling now?_ His years of dark cynicism asked sourly. He ignored the inward question and continued to watch her, transfixed. She looked so tranquil; the sight filled his heart with warmth._

_Confusion overtook him. He blinked and studied her sleeping form more intently. Surely there was nothing particularly special about her that should allure him so. She was brilliant certainly, but aside from that what was it that captivated him so?_

_He scowled at himself and decided it best to leave, lest he stare at he all afternoon until she awoke. He rose to leave and was almost out the door when he heard her shift and let out another soft mewl. Turning he found her curled in to a tight ball. _She's cold,_ a more human portion of his brain told him. Without thinking he glided over to a cabinet and retrieved a blanket. Carrying the blanket over to where she lay, asleep and now shivering, he bent and spread the blanket over her, holding his breath so as not to wake her. He tucked the blanket around her so it wouldn't fall off and was about to get up when one of her hands escaped the confines of the blanket and found his, holding it and keeping him from moving. Startled and still not daring to breath or move Severus waited, to see if the girl was awake or still asleep. She didn't move again, save to sigh happily and turn over in the chair, still keeping hold of his hand._

_Severus' heart and lungs felt like they were going to explode and he risked one, ragged breath just to keep himself from passing out. The Granger girl remained asleep so Severus decided to free his hand and retreat before his luck changed. He managed to release his hand from hers and made a hasty retreat back to the safety of his room._

* * *

_There, last one,_ Severus thought to himself as he drew the last memory of his time spent at Grimmauld Place out of his mind and into his pensive.

Severus had not indulged in a vacation in almost twenty years and had decided to treat himself this summer. When he was first invited to spend the summer months at Grimmauld Place with Sirius, Remus, Potter, Malfoy, Granger, and Weasley, he'd thought it would just be an excuse to do some reading. What he hadn't figured on was that he would develop feelings towards Ms. Granger.

At first he had been repulsed and horrified. He was a teacher and twice her age (even taking into account her semesters using the time turner)! He should know better! But after he'd thought it through he'd decided that it probably wouldn't kill him to loosen up and have a little fun that summer. Besides, it wasn't as though she had the same feelings for him anyway. So he had decided to indulge and allowed himself these strange new feelings and had wound up flirting with Hermione on more than one occasion. He had even danced with her at a club the night before last!

Now, however, summer was over. The train to Hogwarts left in a few hours whisking all of them back to the real world and their real lives. He couldn't live with the memories of his indiscretions this summer, swimming around is head, it would be a distraction and altogether inappropriate to leave them inside his head, so he had chosen to remove them and keep them stored in his pensive.

Straightening up, Severus picked up his pensive and turned to tuck it into his suitcase. As he turned however, he found an unexpected, and altogether unwanted guest standing in his doorway.

"Remus." Severus acknowledged curtly.

"Sev," Remus said with a maddening smile. "We were just wondering when you would be joining us. The train leaves in not too long and I dare say Miss. 'Mione down there would have a fit if any of us kept her away from Hogwarts one second too long." He explained, walking slowing into Severus' room. "Even you." He added, giving Severus a look that made his blood run cold.

Flustered, Severus didn't know how to respond at first. Before he could maintain his composure, his lips betrayed him, "What do you mean even me?"

Remus said nothing, only smiled and turned to leave. Severus thought that perhaps his entire body had disintegrated, he felt so numb and lightheaded.

Turning just as he reached the door Remus added, "I don't need to tell you what will happen if you hurt that girls feelings," given Severus a meaningful stare. "And yes. The answer to the question you're too terrified to ask, is yes." He added before striding off down the hall.

Thoroughly flustered and confused Severus sat down on his bed and cupped his now aching head in his hands.

"This," he spoke aloud to the empty room, "is why I do _not_ take vacations!"

* * *

**Notes to YOU!**

**Trissa –** Thank you so much! This means a lot to be because that's _exactly_ what I was going for since that's one of the biggest things that bugs me in other fics.

**Killer Angel –** Oh, thank you so much! That is what I meant. It's fixed now.

i**ceball19 –** You would be correct! It's one of my favorites.

**Dragons Quill –** NEVER! I would cry too! D':

**DanniV and Catysmom –** As you wish!

**snapehermionelover, notwritten, madamepince89, Elisandra1, and volleygal905 -** Thanks!!


	4. Meeting of the Heads of House

_**Disclaimer — **_J. K. Rowling is the second richest woman in England (actual fact, go check it out) and I am a lowly American college student. Who do _you_ think owns Harry Potter? All I have are my two-bit ideas and odd writing technique. Cheers!

**Chapter 4: Meeting of the Heads of House**

The train ride was mostly uneventful, save for some first year loosing their weasel. Neville and Ginny had popped in to cabin Hermione, Harry, and Ron were sharing to see if anyone had seen it. They hadn't, but as they left Neville said, "Strange how times change, 'eh?"

And so it was. This was to be their last year at Hogwarts. After that, who knew. Hermione would, of course, apply to every wizarding college she'd ever heard of and probably get into most of them. As for her two friends, she really didn't know. Harry had spoken of becoming an auror, but had said nothing of college and Ron, well, Hermione wasn't quite convinced he knew that they wouldn't just be heading back to Hogwarts next year.

She continued to think quietly to herself, looking out the window at the passing countryside while the boys played Wizard Chess next to her. She might have stayed there until they reached the school too, had the blond head of Draco Malfoy not popped into their car.

"Oy, 'Mione! Heads of house meeting in the last car." He said, sounding somewhat out of breath as though he'd run all the way here. "Need to get changed too, the rest of them are looking quite official."

"Alright, I'll be there in a moment." She said, rising from her seat and digging around in the gigantic tote her aunt had bought her for Christmas for her uniform.

"If it's all the same to you, I think I'll wait. There's some drama between two Ravenclaws, one of which happens to be 'bffs' with the Ravenclaw head girl, and anyway, it looks like it's going to get nasty before it gets worse."

Hermione shrugged and ducked out of the cabin and into the bathroom across from it to change. When she emerged, she found Draco, Ron, and Harry laughing at something. As she entered the cabin to put away her clothes and grab her bag, she gave the boys a quizzical look. They said nothing and all covered their mouths. Hermione shrugged again and, having acquired her things, turned to Draco.

"You ready?" She asked.

"Yeah sure, just need to find Neville." He answered, moving out of her way so they could leave.

Exiting the car, Hermione said goodbye to her friends and lead the way down the isle until they reached the car Neville had been sharing with Ginny, Luna, and two first years. Luna and the first years, a pair of twin boys, were making what appeared to be collaged postcards, but there was no sigh of Ginny or Neville.

"Hey, Luna?" Hermione said, poking her head in. "Where's Neville? We've got a heads of house meeting in, oh, now, and I can't very well show up without the head boy."

Luna shrugged, but did not look up. "I think he's off doing naughty things with Ginny. She's been missing too.

Hermione looked horrified but before she could say anything Draco cut in, "Oh brilliant, more drama!"

Hermione gave him a look and the two continued down the isle looking for the missing two. As they walked down between rows of rooms, Hermione wondered aloud why Draco was being so friendly. "After all," she said "Hadn't we only agreed to be friends while we weren't at school?"

"I guess," Draco mused, "It just all seems so stupid now. I have a much better time with you lot then Crab and Goyle. They're both so thick it's like I'm talking to myself most of the time." He shrugged. "I don't know, if you want me to leave you and your friends alone I will, I just thought that being goody-goody Gryffindors you'd accept me as friends even _though_ I'm a Slytherin."

Hermione nodded, thoughtfully. "Harry and Ron won't know what to make of it."

"Yeah, but at least their heads are partly full of brains!" Draco laughed.

Hermione smiled then checked her watch.

"Bugger," She said under her breath. "We're going to be late. Better hope Neville remembers something for once in his life."

Draco nodded and the two headed off for the last car of the train.

When they reached it they found two Hufflepuffs and a Slytherin girl looking decidedly awkward and uncomfortable. As Draco and Hermione entered the car, the Slytherin lifted her head and looked relieved Draco was there. The Hufflepuffs smiled to the two, but didn't break their conversation.

Suddenly there was a loud yell from one of the rooms in the last train car.

"What do you mean, you whore?!"

"Who's calling who a whore, you back stabbing, boyfriend stealing--"

"Oh shut it Mandy!"

"You shut it, and stop siding with her. Who's side are you _on _anyway?"

Hermione looked at Draco who merely shrugged. She rolled here eyes and went to see what was going on.

"Yours of course but--" One of the Ravenclaw girls, Hermione assumed it was the head girl, appeared to be trying to keep peace between two other Ravenclaws who seemed out for blood over a boy.

"What what about me?" The "bff" interjected, cutter her so-called friend off. "You're supposed to be the head of our house, that means you're _supposed _to be impartial!"

"I am-- that's not--"

"Alright, shut it all of you!" Hermione yelled, silencing everyone in shock.

"Regardless of how a head girl is _supposed _to behave, she _is_ supposed to take part in the heads of house meeting-- which, I would add it _supposed_ to be going on _right now_."

The two rival Ravenclaws seemed about to speak but Hermione cut them off. "I don't bloody care! Take it somewhere else or drop it! We require the head girl no matter _who_ stole who's prat boyfriend!"

They both glared at her but turned to leave. The Ravenclaw head girl turned to thank Hermione, but she didn't really want to hear it so said simply, "It was nothing. Now can we get this meeting started already?"

The girl nodded and retreated back into the last car. Hermione watched her go and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Wow 'Mione." Draco said, sounding almost stunned. "I've never seen you act. . ."

"So exceedingly goody-goody?" Hermione asked, completely exhausted and sick of everyone.

"I was actually going to say forceful, but I guess it was a pretty goody-goody thing to do, breaking up a fight for a meeting no one's even interested in." Draco said. With a look of mild concern on his face he added, "You okay? I'd think you'd like doing stuff like that but you look miserable?"

Before she could stop herself and do the "right" thing, Hermione found herself spilling all of her wants and desires for this year out to the unfamiliar ears of Draco Malfoy.

"And so," Hermione concluded after nearly five minutes of uninterrupted babel. "If I keep doing shit like that I'll never change! I'll always be the same boring old 'Mione who no one's interested in and no one wants to hang out with and then I'll end up along with fifty cats."

"So. . ." Draco said, obviously not sure what to say. "Do you. . . want to skip the meeting that no one but you seems to care about?"

"No!" Hermione cried, a look of horror on her face. "Of course not, we'd get in trouble!"

"Not if we can find Neville. The rules technically state that only _one _head of house needs to attend the meeting. That's why there are two, so that one can tell the other what they need to know."

"I guess. . ." Hermione said hesitantly. Surely she could never, never! Her was Hermione Granger, how could she just skip an important meeting like this?! _And yet, _she mused to herself, _This is exactly what I wanted. To become someone free._

"Look," She said, turning to Draco. "I can't skip this meeting. I don't want to. Not just because of, you know, that it's me, but also because I really don't care to do any more searching for bloody Neville and Ginny – nor do I particularly want to see what they've been doing in their absence. So let's just go and get this over with quickly so I can get back to my chocolate frogs."

"As you wish." Draco said with a smile, holding the door to the carriage open.

Hermione smiled sheepishly but entered and took a seat next to the Hufflepuffs. Draco fallowed and took a seat as far away from the Ravenclaw head girl as possible.

"So," Hermione began, figuring that someone ought to start the meeting, as everyone who was going to show up had done so. Before she could finish her sentence, the door to the train car swung slowly open and the last person anyone but Hermione wanted to see strode into the meeting.

"Good afternoon, I will be running this meeting of the heads of house. Shall we begin?" Said the silken voice of Severus Snape.

...

"So, how was the meeting?" Harry asked once Hermione returned.

She rolled her eyes and heaved an overly exasperated sigh as she flopped down dramatically on the seat next to him. For added emphasis she fained death.

Ron hasn't seemed to realize that she was only playing and cried out in genuine concern, causing 'Mione to sit up and glare at him.

"It was brilliant, thank you for asking." She said, scowling.

"What?" Ron asked looking from Harry to Draco, finally catching on to his friends sour mood.

"The meeting was. . ." Draco began to explain.

"Abysmal? Unorganized? Poorly attended by complete immature morons?!" Hermione ranted.

". . . Not what 'Mione expected." Draco finished, looking pointedly at Harry.

Harry said nothing, only nodded and attempted to change the subject. Hermione would have none of it though and continued. "If it wasn't bad enough that the idiot head girl of Ravenclaw has no spine whatsoever, Neville never even bothered to show up! And that Slytherin girl spent the entire meeting glaring at me, for no better reason then A) Draco would rather sit on an _empty_ seat instead of her LAP and B) I was the only person who apparently cared enough to take charge and attempt to start the meeting since no one else there had any idea what we were supposed to be doing!" She paused to catch her breath. She tended to talk faster then her lungs could support when she was lying, and she had to keep lying to hide just how upset she really was.

"You're _lap_?" Harry asked Draco, not even trying to hide his amusement.

Draco shrugged and smirked, leaning back in the seat next to Ron that he'd appropriated once Hermione started her rant. "What can I say?" He said, looking overly smug. "Those Slytherin girls see a pure blood and want to have its babies, regardless of the kind of person they might be."

Hermione groaned in annoyance, and the three turned to stare at her. Without thinking she spoke, "I just wish. . ." Cutting herself short as she stared into the faces of her friends. How could she tell them what she really happened? That, instead of her taking the lead in the meeting as expected, that instead Professor _Giant Bat_ had shown up and taken every single opportunity to make the meeting _miserable_ for her. Surely they could understand Snape being an arse, but how was she supposed to explain just why she was so upset by it? _He'd always been an arse,_ they'd say, _what's the big surprise?_

_Because he isn't!_ she screamed internally. _He wasn't. . . he was so. . ._

"You wish what, 'Mione?" Ron asked, shocking her back into reality.

"Oh," she said, trying not to sound as flustered and hurt as she felt. "Nothing. I guess I just wish that I wasn't the only person at this school who cared about important things like the meetings of the heads of house. That's all."

Ron nodded, but Harry seemed to have picked up on something in Hermione's voice. "You know 'Mione," he said, looking at her, "You don't _have_ to take charge of every meeting. Why not try holding your tongue and see if anyone else takes the reins? It would be quite the learning experience, for them as well as yourself."

"Geez Harry!" Ron laughed, breaking the silence. "You sound like some kind of therapist. Or Dumbledore!"

Harry said nothing, only chuckled, looking away from Hermione. Draco joined him in a soft giggle, but not before giving Hermione a look that she knew meant he was there if she wanted someone to talk to who wasn't Harry or Ron. Hermione met his gaze, but looked away and stayed silent. Plastering a smile on her face for Harry's sake, she simply nodded and turned to stare on the window. _Oh I wish we were there. I just want to get to my head girl suite, and take a long hot shower,_ she begged silently to the passing countryside.

* * *

**Notes from the author**

Alright, there's a question as to what the hell I'm on about regarding this "Heads of House" business, which I am fully willing to admit, is probably a figment of my imagination. I think for now we'll just run with "creative interpretation" and say that there are two heads of each house, a head boy and a head girl. These are also Prefects, and will be refereed to as such (probably), in addition to being called head boy or head girl.

I sort of just went with this idea without really thinking about it or looking it up because I remembered in OOTP or HBP, one of the two, the bit where Hermione and Ron are head boy and girl (or Prefects, or whatever), and Harry getting his knickers in a huge twist because he thought he should have got it, not Ron. Angst, but whatever, that's where the idea came from. (Though it also probably got there from reading some fic or another here as well, now that I think about it.) Deal with it. ;-P

**Notes to YOU!**

**Flame -** Thanks for your input, I hope the aforementioned explanation helps to clear things up a bit. Keep up the awesome con crit, it's always welcome!

**eac-dudette, omateido -** Thanks, really glad to hear it!

**ubersnape -** Thanks! I think that's where I'm going with it, glad to have some encouragement there!

**Southernswimmer -** blushes Thank you so much! It's really wonderful to hear things like that! I'll be sure to keep writing!

**Dragons Quill -** Thanks! If you have any ideas or suggestions you'd like to put forward, I'd be happy to listen, though I make no promises that I will reveal my secret plots and schemes. ;P


	5. A Rash Decision

_**Disclaimer — **_J. K. Rowling is the second richest woman in England (actual fact, go check it out) and I am a lowly American college student. Who do _you_ think owns Harry Potter? All I have are my two-bit ideas and odd writing technique. Cheers!

**Chapter 5: A Rash Decision**

The blaring sound woke Hermione out of a distraught sleep.

"What?" She muttered aloud, trying to identify the source of the alarming sound. "Shit!" She cried, _alarm_! She'd set the alarm before she got in the shower, just in case she took so long that the sorting started. Her shower had actually only taken twenty minutes and the sorting was running late (a message on her nightstand informed her of this, apparently the same first year as before refused to even enter the castle until they found his or her ferret, or whatever it was). With this in mind, she'd decided to indulge in a little cat nap before dinner. It would help her refresh she figured, and there was time enough.

"Shit, shit, shit!" She said under her breath as she ran around frantically, trying to find her tie, while attempting to button her shirt at the same time.

"Oh, bugger it!" She exclaimed, giving up on the tie, and trying to concentrate on the last couple of buttons at the top of her no longer perfectly crisp, white button down shirt. She would just have to welcome the incoming first years tieless, rumpled, and frazzled. Running into the bathroom she splashed some cold water on her face and, looking at herself in the mirror, made the most impulsive and rash decision of her life: she went to her truck and pulled out a small cosmetics kit her aunt had given her for Christmas. Refusing the let herself be talked out of this by anyone, particularly herself, she returned to the bathroom and applied just enough concealer to hide the circles under her eyes, then just enough eye liner and mascara to make her eyes pop, and just enough deep red lip gloss to make it look like she was about five years old and had just been kissing someone devilishly handsome.

Satisfied and terrified at the same time, she grabbed her robe and flung it over her shoulder on her way out the door.

* * *

"Where is she?" Ron asked, distressed. "Haven't you seen her?"

"No, not since earlier on the train, mate!" Neville answered, looking quite concerned himself.

"Well, maybe she'd be here if you'd been at the meeting!" Harry said, trying not to sound too accusing.

"What meeting?" Neville practically pleaded? "_Everyone_ knew there wasn't _really_ going to be a meeting because of the teacher assigned to run it!"

"Who?" Ron asked, still constantly looking over his shoulder at the entrance to the great hall.

"Snape!" Neville said in a hushed voice.

"No!" Ron said, forgetting entirely about the door.

"Yeah!" Neville said, nodding. "McGonagall said he ought to, since every other house professor had taken a turn but him, in about ten years at least."

"That must be why she was so upset after the meeting!" Ron said.

"Yeah." Harry added, wondering silently why, if that had been the reason, she hadn't just _said_ that in the first place.

"Man," Ron said, sounding sympathetic, "I wish she'd mentioned something. We could have commiserated!"

"Yeah." Harry said, nodding. He decided to try and steer the conversation away from that fateful meeting, he didn't much fancy discussing it with Ron before he's got the full story from Hermione herself. "Anyway," He said, seizing the gap in conversation. "Who d'you think we'll--" He was cut short suddenly and his mouth fell open.

"What?" Ron asked? "What?!" He said again, then turned to see what his friend was staring at.

"Bloody hell!" He cried when his gaze found what had stopped Harry dead in his tracks.

"Hm?" Neville said, then turned and gasped.

* * *

Hermione entered the great hall considerably slower then she might have liked. She knew that she should have slunk in and found a seat as quickly as possible so as not to be noticed arriving late. But something stopped her. Something in her heart told her to slow down, and saunter in just as though she belonged there, because she _did_ belong there.

She ignored her friends, who were staring at her as though they'd only _just_ realized she was, indeed, _female_. She ignored the stares from the other tables. She allowed a small flicker of a smile to cross her lips as she dipped her head, ever so slightly to Draco, sitting all the way across the room from her, hiding his approving smile behind his arm.

Turning she found that Hagrid was looking at her curiously, and she smiled warmly at him. She shook himself slightly and waved at her, before turning back to Professor Flitwick, who seemed to be attempting to have a conversation with the large man.

Next her gaze fell on Remus. He too was giving her an odd look, but smiled when she caught his eye. He nodded then returned to his drink in front of him. Hermione smiled, pleased that her adult friends weren't angry or appalled.

She started to turn to take her seat at the Gryffindor table, but felt someone else's eyes on her, and turned to see who it was. Suddenly she was caught, like a deer in a cars headlines, by the powerful gaze of Severus Snape. She froze, completely petrified. Was he angry? He didn't have a right to be, but was he? Would he yell at her for trying to temp him? She almost laughed out loud at the absurd thought. _As if he would ever give a _damn_ what I wear. Just because I can't get rid of this idiotic crush, doesn't mean I suddenly _mean_ something to him! That's ridiculous!_ Still, it was nice to dream.

Shaking her head she went to claim her seat next to Harry, and the rest of her friends._ Oh boy,_ she thought wryly to herself. _This ought to be a blast._

* * *

"You could have warned us!" Ron cried, as they left the Gryffindor common room after the new student orientation to get a bite to eat (one of many Prefect privileges).

"About what?" Hermione asked, getting more then a little peeved. "That I over slept and didn't feel like pulling on a _wool_ robe for a _summer_ dinner?!"

"Yeah—no! Wait, I mean. . ." Ron faltered, unsure of himself.

"What Ron means," Harry interjected, "Is, we just weren't expecting—"

"What?!" Hermione cried exasperated, cutting Harry off. "That I'm a _girl_ and I wear _makeup_? Or that I am capable of overheating, and hence did not wish to wear a _long wool robe_ over my perfectly acceptable school clothes?"

"No—we—I mean—" Harry tried, but Hermione was sick of their questions and their stares. She hadn't done anything wrong! Nowhere in dress code did it state that, if a student were in fear of over heating, they were still obligated to don the black, wool robes of a wizard during meal time!

Hermione knew in her heart this had been the last thing on her mind when she was getting herself ready for dinner, but even so, why should she have to justify her actions to her friends? The conversation was starting to give her a headache and decided to end it and get away as quickly as possible. She needed some time to think

"Whatever,." She said, turning and walking down the hall towards the library.

"'Mione, wait!" Harry called after her, but she ignored him and started to walk faster and faster until she was running. She ran so far and so fast that she didn't stop until she was out of breath. Wheezing she collapsed on the floor to catch her breath and survey her surroundings. _That's odd_, the thought to herself. _I know I should be at the library, but I've never seen this hallway before? _Turning around she decided the her best bet would be to just keep going in the direction she felt would lead to the library.

Walking along the corridor she encountered several portraits, none of whom seemed to be awake. She attempted to cajole a middle aged woman in a Victorian gown to tell her what part of the castle she was in, but the woman just glared at her and stalked off out of her frame.

On and on Hermione wandered, searching for some recognizable hallway, painting, or room. Finally, just as she was about to give up and sleep in the hallway, she turned a corner and found herself at the Room of Requirement. Though she hadn't spent much time there (most of her trips there had been to attend Harry's mock DADA sessions during their fifth year), she recognized it instantly. No other door in the castle had quite the same look about it as this door did. Hermione had toyed with the idea of doing a paper for her history class on the Room of Requirement and just why it was so. . . different. She had theorized that it was because the entire contents of the room were magic, and it didn't have any specifically defined base shape that it reverted too when empty, so of _course _the door to it would look odd.

Just as she was musing over the possibility of her paper, the door to the Room of Requirement swung slowly open. Hermione gasped and ducked behind the corner. She wasn't sure why, surely she had no reason to hide. As Head Girl it was her right to be out and about in the middle of the night, especially since she had been looking for the library to do some studying in the first place. And still, she had felt the irresistible urge to hide. Steeling herself for what she might see (though really she had no idea who would be out at this hour, it was getting on eleven!), she peeked around the corner and her heart skipped a beat. She started to sweat and glanced around hopelessly for somewhere to run or hide. The person she had seen exiting the Room of Requirement, the person now heading down the hallway in her direction, the person about to turn to corner and find her there, was none other then Severus Snape.

_Think, Hermione! THINK! There's got to be a way out, there's got to be an explanation! _Hermione's thoughts raced desperately around her mind. Seconds ticked by. He was just about to turn the corner. She could hear his heavy boots (were they tipped with metal?) as they proceeded steadily towards here. In the last second before he turned the corner she could even hear him breathing and smelled something she thought must be roses. _Well that's absurd!_ Was her last thought before she shut her eyes tightly, and collapsed on the floor.

* * *

"Miss. Granger? Miss Granger! Wake up! Wake up, Hermione!" Severus shouted at her. Hermione reluctantly fluttered her eyes open to look at him. He'd been fanning her face and yelling at her for long enough, she really couldn't keep it up any longer. She feigned surprise at seeing him and exclaimed, "Professor! What. . . what happened?" Sitting up from her prone position, half on the floor and half in Severus' arms. She rubbed her head with her hand and looked around her, only half pretending she had no idea where she was.

"Miss. Granger?" Severus asked again, this time with less panic in his voice.

"Yes, Sir?" She answered, turning to look at him, her butt still firmly planted on the cold stone floor.

"What, may I ask, happened?" He said, giving her an intensely inquisitive gaze. "I turned the corner and you practically fell into my arms. You've been unconscious for nearly five minutes!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry Professor. . ." Hermione said, turning away from him and attempting to get to her feet. "I. . . I don't rightly remember, I'm afraid." She lied, keeping her face averted, pretending to be looking around herself in wonder. "I was heading to the library to study for the quiz you assigned for Wednesday." She risked looking at him. His expression was impassive, and so she turned to face him, twiddling her thumbs and shuffling her feet as she continued. "And I know that I went the right way, but somehow I ended up in a hallway I've never seen. And I don't ever remember getting here either. The last thing I remember clearly is waking up on the floor." She bit her tongue to avoid adding "in your arms."

Severus looked at her, his expression less blank now and more curious. _Oh how cute he looks when he's curious! _She thought, then almost stomped on her own foot for thinking it. Finally, after staring at her for what felt like forever, Severus spoke. "Well, as you can plainly see, you're about three floors off from the library." He said, looking smarmy and almost amused, as he pointed to what something Hermione had not noticed until now. A window.

"Oh." She said lamely. She went over to peer out and found that she was, indeed, on the forth floor. _But I didn't go up any stairs? _She wondered to herself. Hermione continued to mutter to herself scowling down the hallway, completely failing to notice Severus' inquisitive gaze, until he gently cleared his throat.

"Hm?" She said absently, turning to face him again. Severus said nothing, but gave her a look. "What?" She said, beginning to get nervous under this intense gaze.

"I was merely wondering if you were ever going to go off to the library, of if you would prefer me to escort you there." He said, his silky voice laced with amused sarcasm. "Or would you feel better if I were to hold your hand?" He added, smiling wickedly.

Hermione blushed furiously and stammered to regain her composure. "I. . . I can find m. . . my way there perfectly fine by myself." She turned, prepared to walk off in a huff, and found herself face to face with a wall that she could have sworn was not there a minute ago. Startled she jumped back, and gave a very undignified "yip!"

Severus chuckled to himself. Hermione turned and glared at him, quite forgetting for the moment that Severus was her professor, and not some annoying Slytherin peer. He appeared to blanch, and covered his mouth feigning a cough. When he lowered his arm, his smirk had all but disappeared, leaving only a faint gleam of amusement in his dark, mysterious eyes that made Hermione's knees weak.

"Shall we, Miss Granger?" He said, gesturing down the what she assumed to be the correct hallway. Hermione said nothing, and turned waiting for him to lead the way. Severus made a noise, but said nothing and strode down the hallway away her Hermione. She fallowed him quietly, glaring at his back.

The hallway led them to a gigantic spiral staircase that Hermione had never seen before. This was only mildly surprise to her, considering the night she seemed to be having. They began their decent and continued well past the ground floor on which the library resided. Hermione began to wonder just where Severus was leading her until he suddenly stopped, and opened a door on his right, motioning her to go through ahead of him. She did, quite curious as to where she would end up, and came out in a small, cramped room filled to the bursting point with books. Hermione gasped and stared about her in wonder.

"Where are we Professor?" She asked, her annoyance melting off of her. She turned to face him and found him looking at her with a curious expression, not altogether unlike amusement. The expression was short lived as he cleared his throat. _He seems to be doing that a lot, this evening,_ Hermione couldn't help but think to herself as she watched his expression harden into a scowl.

"What does it look like, Miss. Granger?" He asked in what Hermione could have sworn was forced annoyance. He shook her head to rid it of the paranoia threatening to overcome her thoughts.

Turning around to survey her surroundings again she pretended to ponder, well aware of her professor standing behind her watching her with Merlin only knew what thoughts running through his head.

"It looks," She said finally, turning once more to face him, not bothering to conceal her broad smile. "Like I've died and gone to heaven!"

Snape could not hide his open expression of complete shock, and could do no more then gap for a millisecond, and then scowl all the more sternly at her. "It is not, I assure you." He said finally regaining his composure. "Were it," He added, striding forward past her into the depths of the impossibly tall, dark wood bookcases, "I doubt I would be here."

Hermione took note of his last comment, deciding to save it for later and enjoy this hidden treasure trove of books while she had access to them. Who knew there was a second, hidden library within Hogwarts! _Well that's obvious, you twit, _she through sternly to herself, _you _should_ have know, but you didn't. Now pay attention!_ She shook her head and stared up and up and up at the shelves that seemed to go on forever. The ceiling she realized was enchanted, much like the great hall. Unlike the ever famous hall though, this ceiling showed some grand forest canopy growing out of the tops of the shelves! Even though it was night here in this mystical forest, Hermione could still make out a few patches of starlight in between the bunches of leaves far above her head.

* * *

He was in the middle of cursing his own name for bringing her here when he heard her sigh. He turned to glare at her, only to find her completely entranced by the ceiling. Severus had long since stopped looking up when he came here, to his personal wing of the private, professor's libraries. It may have been beautiful—and a truly remarkable piece of wizardry created by the four Hogwarts founders, so long ago—but that did not mean he had to spend twenty minutes of his life staring up every time he needed to get a book.

"If you're quite through admiring the illusion above your head, I believe this is what you were wanting." He said gruffly. Startling her out of her trance. She looked alarmed for a moment and he growled harshly to himself for scaring the girl—then almost kicked himself for feeling as though he should be somehow kind to the infernal bother.

"I beg your pardon?" She said finally, jarring him from his internal struggle.

"This," Severus said, extending an arm and pointing at a shelf next to him on which lay the books containing the information relating to the quiz he had assigned.

Hermione did not answer, instead choosing to move forward, brushing past him and causing his insides to shudder at her brief touch. _Dammit! _He cried internally, _Stop acting like such a prat! Get a hold of yourself before she notices!_

She didn't notice though. She was too busy gawking at the books before her nose. He scowled as she reached out to touch them without asking. Stroking the spines gently she craned her said upward, staring in undeniable wonder at the vast collection of books relating to potions, potion lore, and potion making. "What is this place?" She said finally, turning to him, a huge idiotic grin spread across her face.

"This," He said, making every attempt to fill his voice with spite and bile, "Is my personal wing of the Hogwarts professor's library. I'm amazed you haven't read about it yet."

"I doubt they would have put any books about it anywhere the students could find," She said, seemingly ignorant of his nasty tone. "This place is amazing! I'm sure it'd get mobbed if anyone knew how to find it!"

"No doubt it would," Severus agreed grudgingly. "Which is why the doors can only be opened by their given professor. You should see the look on Professor McGonagall's face when she needs a book on potions and has to ask me to open the door for her." He said, smiling to himself, and then turning his face from the girl to hide his utter horror at the familiarity with which he had just spoken to her. _Dear gods, what is happening to me?! _He thought desperately. He needed to get her out of here quick, before he said something regrettable.

She said nothing, seemingly unaware of his inner turmoil. He could, however, feel her eyes burning questioning holes into his back. Instead of voicing her obvious questions however, she shuffled and, chancing a glance he saw the her attention was back on the books in front of her. Turning to face her again he could not stop his eyes from wandering over her delicate form as she stood before him, her profile to him. He shuddered inwardly, but found his eyes glued to her, unable to look away.

She had dressed most inappropriately for dinner, leaving her robe slung lazily over one shoulder and not even bothering to button her shirt properly or put on her house tie. It had been all he could manage not to stare at her as she glided into the great hall for dinner at an obscenely slow pace. It had been as though she _wanted_ every head in the great hall to turn and stare at her. _Attention whore_, he had through to himself angrily. _She should be setting a better example, she's a Prefect for Merlin's sake!_

"Would you permit me to study some of these, Professor?" Hermione asked bringing him back to the present as she again caressed the delicate spines of the books before her. _She really must have no appreciation for what a "private" collection means, _he thought sourly to himself. If he'd wanted students pawing at his books, he would have given them out on the first day.

_She could paw at me any time she likes though_, a very small and very unwelcome voice inside him said. He ignored it and tried to pretend that it didn't exist.

"Why in the world do you think I would have brought you here if I wouldn't?" He asked, becoming ever more infuriated at her persistent questions. He was loosing his temper and his composure. He needed to get her out of her quickly, before he _did_ something regrettable. If only she would stop fondling his books, take the ones she needed, and leave!

She turned, still unaware of his inner struggles. It looked as though she were blushing. "My apologies, Professor." She said, seemingly cowed.

"I simply meant," Severus explained, stealing a deep breath and walking over to the shelf beside her. "That you expressed a wish to study for the quiz on Wednesday, and I thought these books would be more helpful then the ones made available to the general student population."

She turned and raised an eyebrow at him, obviously curious about the sudden special treatment. He had to bite his tongue to keep from babbling at hyper speed, something he had not allowed himself to do since he was a first year back in his school days. Instead he took a steady, measured breath and began pulling several books from the shelf. Once he'd found the ones containing information he knew she should both need and want, and turned shoving the stack into her arms. "These," he said "are what you will require. Consider this your _only_ reward for your undeniable diligence in your studies."

She blushed, attempting to cover it by bowing her head and attempting a small curtsy. She made a move to leave, trying to get around him. That same small voice he was desperate to be rid of suddenly took control of his body and forced him to remain still, blocking her path. She stopped, gazing up at him, confusion written on her face.

_Oh no. . . ! _ was the only thought he found as he stared down at her—and directly down her shirt. She hadn't noticed (thank _God!_), but the stack of books she was carrying rested directly below her bust, pushing it upwards. This, combined with the top three buttons on her shirt being undone gave him a direct view of her alarmingly full (and deliciously enticing) bosom. _I'm going to hell!_ Was the second thought that hit him, as his eyes wandered up to her face—her soft, utterly confused face. _I'm going to faint first,_ was the final thought he had before he straighted up and moved, allowing her past.

Her look of confusion lessened, but didn't not leave her face entirely as she moved past him. She turned, giving him a quizzical look, then proceeded back the way they had come. He was just about to breath a little easier when she appeared again, the bloody bane of his existence! She popped her head around the corner of the bookshelf and asked, sounding more then a little sheepish. "Um, Professor?"

"Yes," He all but growled at her, not willing to look anywhere but an inch above her head.

"Um, well Sir, you didn't said whether I could take these with me, of I was to study them here. Which would you prefer?"

"What?" He said, scowling almost panting with the efforts of his warring mind and body. What was she on about now?

"Well Professor, if these are your personal books, then I would never take them without ensuring that is what you wished."

"Oh, yes, of course. Well, there are table and chairs here, but it is late so I will allow you to borrow the books for tonight. If you have not finished with them by tomorrow, speak with me after class we can arrange a study time after dinner."

She nodded and turned to leave. He suddenly remember something, "By the way, Miss. Granger." She turned, expectantly. "You are not to tell anyone where you got those books. I am not one to share my private collection with just anybody." She nodded, bowed as best she could considering the load she was carrying, and proceeded out the door and away from him.

_Finally! _He thought to himself, and slumped against the shelf, clutching at his suddenly pounding heart. What in the world was happening to him? Why was he being so irrational?! He had led her straight to his private collection! He had given her his book!! _I must be loosing my mind, _he decided finally, pushing himself upright, and delving deeper into the forest of bookcases until he reached a small, secret door which led—via magic—directly to his chambers. Without even bothering to undress, he flung himself on the bed. He needed sleep and a very cold shower.

* * *

**Notes from the author**

Oh would you look at that, a new chapter! shock and awe How novel. Anyway, I've gone through and done a pretty heavy overhaul on all previous chapters. They really didn't need those ANs anyway, now did they? At the beginning I mean.

Some things that would be helpful for those already started on the story: Chapter 1 now has some info about what I did to the canon, i.e. what I changed from reality. Also, Chapter 4 has an explanation about what's going on with the Head Boy/Head Girl problem brought up by Flame (thank you again for that! I'm always looking for constructive critique like that!).

Other then that, enjoy! I'm working on Chapter 6, and I hope to have it ready soon, but we all know that means absolutely nothing when it comes to me. Though I feel having a semi-well thought out and planned outline should at least count for something.

Cheers!

**Notes to YOU!**

Can be found at the end of Chapter 4, cheers!


	6. Sisters in Arms

_**Disclaimer — **_J. K. Rowling is the second richest woman in England (actual fact, go check it out) and I am a lowly American college student. Who do _you_ think owns Harry Potter? All I have are my two-bit ideas and odd writing technique. Cheers!

**Chapter 6: Sisters in Arms**

Hermione almost skipped and danced her way back to the dormitory, she was so thrilled with the night's strange, unexpected, and altogether glorious turn of events. She didn't even both to question Professor Snape—Severus' strange behavior, it wasn't worth it and she just didn't dare, not after what he had done for her. _Finally! _She gloated inwardly, _Finally, he recognizes all that I put in, all that I do! Finally!_ She could no longer contain herself and did a little skip as she rounded a corner (somehow she had wound up on the opposite side of the castle from the Gryffindor dorm). _Now if only he would notice everything _else_ that I have,_ a smaller and more cynical voice in her said, nearly dampening her mood. Nearly. After all, with these books and this unexpected resource, nothing would or could stop her now. Nothing at all. _Not _even_ a stupid crush,_ she told the cynical part of her mind loftily.

After nearly twenty minutes of navigating corridors that really mustn't have been there last year, Hermione finally made it back to the common room. Sighed contentedly as she shoved the door closed behind her, she made her way over to the luscious overstuffed couch by the fireplace. Plunking herself down on the couch, she began examining the books she had been given in earnest. They were truly works of art, made of the highest quality leather, and bound by a magical professional. Each books seemed to contain an endless number of pages for indexes, appendices, and notes. She didn't find any notes, but she suspected they were invisible to anyone but the writer.

Just as she was settleing herself in for some all night reading, a sound from the corridor caught her ear. As she turned, she saw the portrait door open and Ginny stumble in, laughing. She was fallowed by two other sixth year girls, a fifth year girl that Hermione thought she recognized, and two of the seventh year girls. Hermione smiled at them when they saw her, and they waved and whipsered greetings to her. Ginny bit them all goodnight and came over to sit net to Hermione on the couch.

"Having a girls night out this early in the school year?" Hermione quipped, smileing at her friend.

"Oh you know," Ginny said, waving her hand vaugly, "girls will be girls." She laughed and turned to look at her friend. "So where were you all night? Ron and Harry came back without you and wouldn't say where you went. Ron looked all red and guildy like when Mum yells at him, and Harry looked like a kicked puppy!"

"Oh, really?" Hermione asked, thinking back sheepishly to the events that had led her to the potions master's library.

Ginny, seeming to sense the underlying story in Hermione's tone began prodding her for more information. At first all Hermione would say was that the boys had overreacted her to dinner apparal and she had gone to the library to study without them. Ginny then informed her that she and "the girls" had been hanging out in the library, waiting for a few un-named boys, and that she didn't remember seeing 'Mione there once. Hermione blushed and attempted again, saying that she had meant to go to the library, but had ended up at. . . the um. . . well. . .

Ginny just stared at her with piercing brown eyes and try and she might, Hermione just couldn't pull anything together. Sighing she hung her head and sighed. Ginny put an arm aroung her shoulder and gave her a small hug.

"It might not be visible to those dunderheaded friends of yours, but I can sure as hell see that there's a very long story behind those eyes of yours and it's screaming and pounding on the walls to be let free. Come on then, out with it."

Hermione stared at her feet for a moment, then took a breath and let it out. All of it. How she had been feeling all summer, how she wanted to be different, to be better, to be more. How she had flirted with the "Greasy Git" and had managed to develop a crush on him. How they had danced, and then how terrible it had been to see him on the train, and how mad she had been with Ron and Harry and even with herself, though she only then realized it. And finally how she had gotten completely lost and pretended to faint and then had been whisked away to the most magical library she could ever imaging and how she had actecd like a complete moron once she was there, managing only to calm herself by focusing on the books, rather then have to look at that man, and how now she had no idea, just _no idea _what to do.

As Hermione let loose all of her innermost feelings at what must have been approaching warp speed, Ginny sat and listened intently nodding and interjecting the appropriate "Hm" and "Mhmm" until Hermione was quite though and sat panting, her head reeling from the truths which had just escaped her lips.

At last Ginny spoke, slowly and seeming to choose her words very carefully. "So. . ." she bagan, "You really are much deeper then anyone at this school gives you credit for, aren't you?" She laughed as she said it, and smiled.

Hermione burst out laughing at the sheer absurdity of the situation. She, the head girl of Gryffidor and best student at Hogwarts since Albus Dumbledore himself had a stupid bloody crush on Severus Snape, the most masterful potions making in all of the wizarding world and every first years waking nightmare. More then that, she even wanted to wear makeup and show up late for class. It was moronic, but it was true. She she laughed Ginny laughed with her.

At last Ginny managed to quell her laughter and adopted a very serious expression. "Now then, Miss Granger." She said, in her best imitaion of McGonagall. "We need to discuss your future!" Hermione laughed even more, but Ginny manged to maintain her composure. "Miss Granger!" She chided, rising from her seat and scowling down at Hermione. "This is a very serious matter! You have no idea how to go about winning over the man of your dreams, much less how to arrive to class less then on time!"

"I. . . you. . . !" Hermione gasped out, unable to complete a single train of thought. Laughing even harder she let herself slide off the edge of the couch onto the floor where she sat, attempting to catch her breath, still giggleing and chuckleing. Ginny rolled her eyes and collapsed onto the floor accorss from her friend.

"Honestly, 'Mione!" Ginny exclaimed once Hermione was just about through laughing. "Why didn't you _tell_ me?! I might have been able to help! Or at least I could have helped you prepare for a grand entrance at dinner tonight as the new and I dare say improved Hermione Granger! Rather then you flouncying about half-assing it and pretneding to faint just to get close to, as my brother loves to put it, the 'great greasy git!'"

"I just. . ." Hermione said, searching for the right way to explain why she hadn't told Ginny sooner. "I suppose I was just so embarrassed about wanting to be. . . well, different. And I mean really, Ginny, how was I supposed to know that you wouldn't disown me for falling for everyone's least favorite professor?"

"Perhaps because I have overies and a brain, _unlike_ my brothers?" Ginny answers, smirking.

Hermione laughed again. "I guess so. . . but. . . what now? I mean, I've completely bungled things, haven't I? How do I make this right?"

"Well, for starters, I'll need to have a few minutes with you and your wordrobe. And then we'll need to go over your new study habits, as well as a new daily schedule."

"What's wrong with my current schedule?" Hermione asked, trying not to sound wounded and failing.

"Nothing!" Ginny said, rising to her feet and hauling Hermione up as well. "If you want to be on time and prim and porper for the rest of the year!"

"Oh. . ." Hermione said, allowing Ginny to pull her in the direction of her prefect's suite. "Wait!" She cried, "The books! I need to finish reading them! And I haven't even started taking notes!"

Ginny turned to glower at her. "Hermione," She said, her tone serious and mildly sour. "If you want this New You, you're going to have to _try_ to think a little bad. Remember what Severus said?"

"That I could borrow them for tonight, but no longer?"

"No no no, you specifically said that he told you that you were allowed to borrow them for tonight and that if you were not able to finish with them before potions tomorrow you could arrange an after dinner study time."

Hermione nodded, uncomprehdning. "That means," Ginny said, rolling her eyes once again, "that if you haven't finished with them by tomorrow then you get to spend all evening with him in his private library!"

"Oh. . . oh. . !" Hermione said, realization hitting her squarely in the noggin. Ginny nodded, satisfied, and began dragging her off once again. "Um, what _are_ you going to do to my clothes, Gin?"

"Only what is neseccary." Ginny answers, flashing Hermione a none to comforting smile over her shoulder.

* * *

**Notes from the author. . .**

So, really sorry this chapter is so short, I just. . . well, I'm having some trouble with the flow, as in keeping it, which is why this chapter is obscenely short. Anyway, I hope you like it and there will be more just as soon as I'm able. Until then, enjoy!

**Notes to YOU!**

**Yugia, eac-dudette, notwritten, Tom Felton is SO HOTT, mysticpammy, and Southernswimmer - **Thank you so much!!


	7. Comrades and Cohorts

_**Disclaimer — **_J. K. Rowling is the second richest woman in England (actual fact, go check it out) and I am a lowly American college student. Who do _you_ think owns Harry Potter? All I have are my two-bit ideas and odd writing technique. Cheers!

**Chapter 7:Comrades and Cohorts**

As Harry and Ron made their way down to breakfast early for a change, they went over all the reasons it was a good idea that they not disturb Hermione and that they had made the right choice in not grabbing her on their way down to breakfast.

"I mean, really, I hate to see her that way, don't you mate?" Ron said, stretching his arms over his head as two Ravenclaw forth years passed them and giggled. Ron shot them a brilliant, if not somewhat sleepy smile and waved idly. The girls practically exploded with glee and ran away ahead of them. Harry shrugged and shook his hair out of his eyes. It was getting obscenely long, he really needed to do something about it soon otherwise he wouldn't be able to see his hand in front of his nose.

"I don't know," Harry said finally. "I suppose you're right. It just. . . I dunno. Just seems weird to go without her. She's been acting weird since the train, and I don't like this feeling that we're. . . I don't know, abandoning her or something."

"We'd never!" Ron said, affronted by the idea. "We just didn't want to disturb her, that's all!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Let's just make sure to let her know we've got her back, okay?"

"Sure thing mate! But can I _please_ have some bacon and eggs first?! I'm _dying_ here!"

"You are a bottomless pit!" Harry said, laughing at his friend as they entered the Great Hall.

The two young men headed over to their usual spot at the Gryffindor table and took their seats across from Neville, who was reading a wizard music magazine. Glancing around neither Ron or Harry saw Hermione. They exchanged looks, but shrugged mutually and figured they'd catch her on the way to class.

They never got the chance though, because Hermione never showed up to breakfast and no one had seen her. Harry and Ron had to run to make it to History of Magic. They would have been on time and possibly even early had they not used all their extra time wandering the halls and asking if anyone knew where the Head Girl of Gryffindor house was. Not one person had known though, and they finally gave up and headed off to class grumpy and mildly concerned.

* * *

"Oh. My. GOD, GINNY!!" Hermione screamed in frustration and anxiety.

"What?" Ginny asked, not even attempting to hide her laughter at her friend's behavior.

"'What?' Is that all you can say, 'What?'?! This is excruciating and I look like a. . . like a. . . well, unprofessional to say the least!"

"You do not," Ginny said, rolling her eyes and handing a fifth buttered croissant to her friend. Hermione glared at her friend and snatched the pastry away from her. Throwing herself on the bed the began to rip great chunks off the croissant and jiggle her foot.

"I have never missed breakfast in my life, and this idea of yours that I should be late of the _first day of classes,_ is utterly idiotic!" Hermione said through bites of the pastry Ginny had been kind enough to acquire from the basement kitchen before breakfast.

"Would you relax?" Ginny said, flopping down next to her friend. "You'll be fine. You don't have to be late, just exactly on time which means _not early, _which you will be if you leave one _second_ before I tell you!"

Hermione turned and glared at her friend, unconvinced. She loathed being late and suspected that his was not the way to impress anyone, let alone the single strictest teacher at their school.

In her heart of hears however, Hermione knew that she would never achieve her goal without help, and she had to admit to herself that she really didn't know the first thing about changing her image or breaking rules. Ginny did, and so she had to do what Ginny said, even if it meant that she was one again forced in front of her peers in. . . less then standard attire.

Ginny checked her wrist watch and nodded, and extended a hand to help her friend to her feet. "Time to go." She said, and Hermione heaved a sigh of relief.

As they two were about to part ways to their separate classes, Ginny grabbed Hermione's arm. "One second," she said, handing Hermione a small book.

"What's this?" Hermione asked, inspecting the tiny volume.

"It's your new daily planner. I've got your whole schedule for the rest of the week already written up in there, all you need to do is fallow it. I've included everything from time when to wake up, how long to shower, and how quickly or slowly to walk down the hallways." Ginny smile and Hermione blanched.

"You must be kidding?!" Hermione exclaimed, amazed. "How could you have calculated all of that since last night?!"

"I'm a genius at Muggle mathematics." Ginny said, beaming.

Flipping through the planner, Hermione noticed several seemingly blank spots in the evenings, all marked with "BGR."

"What's this about?" She asked, indicating the "BGR" spots.

"Oh! Those are open spots for detention!"

"WHAT?!"

"Look, there's no time to explain. Just fallow the planning _to the letter,_ understand?"

"I—but, Ginny!" Hermione yelled to Ginny's retreating back.

"Hurry up!" Ginny called over her shoulder. "You don't wanna be late!"

Hermione would not believe this. Ginny actually _expected _ her to get detention! This was absurd. Hermione let out a frustrated scream and kicked the wall, before dashing off to her doom.

* * *

Hermione arrived exactly as the last bell of first period was tolling. She tried to rush to her seat, to be inconspicuous, to blend in with her classmates. She was trying as she hunched her shoulders over and slunk in with a couple of Hufflepuffs, who did their best not to stare at her for the most part, but none the less she could feel their eyes on her.

She had almost made it to a nice empty seat in the back row when she was caught.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione cringed and turned slowly, wishing more then anything she could melt into the floor. "Yes Professor Burbage, ma'am?"

"Where, pray tell, are your school robes?" Professor Burbage asked, giving her a look of complete confusion. Never had his star pupil shone up in such attire, and he was most curious as to why.

Hermione stood up as straight as she could and strode forward to her usual spot at the front of the class, wearing only her button down shirt, house tie, and a somewhat shorter version of her usual school skirt paired with knee high socks and Mary Jane loafers. "I'm so sorry Professor," Hermione said, bowing a little and doing all she should to swallow the embarrassment she was feeling. "I'm afraid there was some sort of accident on the train and all of my school robes have been destroyed."

"Destroyed?!" Professor Burbage said, aghast. "Good heavens, why didn't you tell anyone yesterday?"

"I'm sorry Professor. I didn't realize until this morning, after I had sent my only unharmed robe to be laundered." Hermione said, avoiding eye contacting and repeating every rehearsed word that Ginny had drilled into her this morning.

"Well, it sounds as though there was no way around this then. I'll give you a pass for your next class, go and see Professor McGonagall about getting new robes. Until then please take a seat."

Hermione nodded and almost collapsed into her seat. She could feel Harry's and Ron's eyes burning holes into her back but she didn't have the energy (or apparently the time!) to deal with them just yet. She pulled her textbook from her rucksack and when Burbage's back was turned she slipped the planner between its pages. She had a lot of reading to catch up on.

As she read and half listened to Burbage recite word for word passages from their textbook that Hermione already knew by heart, she found that Ginny had not only planned every last second of her life for the next two weeks, but she had also included notes. Pointers, reminders, explanations, and beauty and personality tips too. Everything under the sun from how to carry herself as she walked from this class to that class and how it was different from how she should carry herself as she walked from class to dinner, but also which buttons she was to have buttoned on her blouse at what time of day. Hermione had to laugh at the sheer preciseness of her friends planning.

_Well_, she thought to herself, _at least I know I've gone to the right person for help! Now then, what am I up to after Muggle Studies?_ Ginny, it seemed, had planned on her getting sent to McGonagall, and had included that in the time slot when Hermione would normally have been in Charms. Then she was supposed to head to the bathroom on the forth floor and adjust her hair and reapply lipstick, then head down to Potions a _tad_ early so she could talk to "Professor Sexy-Pants" as Ginny had dubbed him about a study session later that night, which was apparently supposed to take place from 7pm to 10pm, though how Ginny could estimate that, Hermione did not know. _Probably the same way she knew I'd get sent to McGonagall after first period_, she decided finally.

* * *

While Hermione was busy going over her "New and Improved" schedule, Harry and Ron were staring at her openly and passing notes trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

_I mean, Merlin! Did you know she had legs?!_ Harry wrote furiously to Ron. Who glared at him before replying.

_Yes I bloody well did you git, can we _focus _here?! Something is definitely wrong with 'Mione. She'd never come to class without her robes, she would have gone to McGonagall first thing this morning!_

_Maybe she missed her? McGonagall does get up awfully early these days._

_Then she would have borrowed a robe from someone! What about Gin, huh? Why didn't she borrow a robe from her?!_

_No clue, maybe we should ask her?_

_Catch her after class then?_

Harry nodded in reply and both boys resumed their staring at their friends back. The answers would just have to wait.

* * *

Hermione packed up her things slowly, knowing full well she had more then enough time to get both scolded and consoled by McGonagall, and she really had no idea how Ginny thought it would take her _more_ then ten minutes to fluff her hair and apply lipstick. She also knew that Harry and Ron would have questions, and while she didn't relish the thought of trying to explain anything to them right now, she also knew that they deserved to know at least a little of what was going on.

"Hey, 'Mione?" Ron said from behind her. _Right on time_, she thought.

Turning to face to two best friends she had to smile at their sheepish expressions. "Yeah?" She said, leaning against her desk, her arms crossed in front of her.

"Erm, it's just. . ." Ron faltered, running his hand through his hair, his most telling nervous tick.

"We just wanted to apologize for yesterday, and we wanted to ask you. . . well, what's going on with you. You've been off it seems since the train ride here." Harry said, managing to drag his eyes up from his shoes to her face. Hermione could see the warmth of friendship in their eyes, and for a moment she almost wanted to tell them everything. But she knew that was not part of Ginny's grand plan and right now, that plan was all she had to go on in these treacherous uncharted waters.

"It's just. . ." She said, intentionally twirling her hair around her finger, something she knew she did when she was nervous. "I guess, it's just that this whole Prefect thing. . . well, I just want to do a good job, you know?"

Ron and Harry nodded, and moved closer to her, one on either side.

"And I guess. . . well, Snape just spooked me at the meeting. Made me feel like I was. . . well, you know. And I guess I just didn't realize how important this whole thing was to me."

"It's alright 'Mione, we were just concerned!" Harry said, putting an arm around her shoulders and giving her a little squeeze.

"Yeah," Ron added, putting an arm around her waist. "Just remember that you can talk to us, okay?"

"Especially about Snape!" Harry quipped. "I mean really, if anyone knows how wretched that man is it's us!"

"Exactly." Ron agreed, smiling down at his friends.

"Thanks guys," Hermione said, accepting their good thoughts in spite of the falsities to which they were offered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some robes to see to."

They nodded and waved as she turned to leave. Turning away she couldn't help but be pleased with herself that she had managed to divert their attention so thoroughly. They were so utterly predictable, it was both lovable and a little sad. Right now though, she had a schedule to stick to.

Hermione walked more quickly to McGonagall's office then Ginny's instructions seemed to intend, but she wasn't in the mood to saunter about with her skirt ridding up her legs like it was. She really couldn't believe she had just let Ginny destroy her clothing like that.

Sighing and shaking her head to no one in particular she rounded the corner and approached the stone gargoyle that guarded the Headmistress' new office. The creature took no notice of her, but stood firmly in her way.

"Catnip Tea." Hermione whispered, and the gargoyle stepped aside. She slipped passed and made her way up to the headmistress' office. When she reached the door she paused, and said a silent small prayer in honor of Dumbledore, whose passing was still hard for all of the students, but particularly those who had been as closely involved with him as she, Harry and Ron.

Catching her breath she knocked on the door, waiting to enter until she heard the slightly muffled noise of affirmation.

"Headmistress, ma'am?" Hermione said as she entered slowly and cautiously. Everyone had heard the explosions and the screams from her office. The word around the castle was that the redecoration process was not going so smoothly. Several of Hogwarts past head masters and mistress' seemed to have differing opinions as to how Minerva should decorate her new office, and she did not seem to keen on their non-stop advices, leading to some truly extraordinary explosions and arguments.

"Professor?" Hermione tried again. Still unable to locate the woman.

"Yes?! What is it?" Came McGonagall's all to tired voice from behind a tall stack of boxes. She poked her head around the corner to see who was disturbing her during class hours. "Oh, Miss Granger!" She said, a note of apology in her voice. "I'm so sorry my dear, I didn't realize it was you. How may I help you?" As she spoke she disentangled herself from the piles of boxes and came over to Hermione.

"Oh, it's just that, well Headmistress—" Hermione faltered, realizing only now that had Ginny included any notes on what she was supposed to say to McGonagall, she had neglected to read them. Fortunately, the older witch cut her off.

"Hermione, please, call me Minerva. We've been through far too much for such formality when we're alone. Now then—wait, where are your school robes?"

"That's what I needed to speak to you about. Somehow, there was an accident on the train and all of my robes were destroyed."

"Whatever do you mean, destroyed?" Minerva asked, gesturing Hermione to a seat by the fireplace. Hermione accepted her offer and took a seat, trying with all her might to keep from wringing her hands in nervousness. Minerva took a seat across from her and leaned closer, awaiting an explanation.

"Well Profess—I mean, Minerva. I'm not entirely sure what happened. When I opened my trunk this morning all of my robes were in burn shreds. I tried to repair them, but nothing would work! I'm so sorry, I just didn't know what to do. I slept through my alarm this morning so by the time I was up, everyone was already heading off to class so I couldn't ask to borrow a spare, and I figured it would be much worse to not show up on the first day of classes then to show up, well, like this." As she spoke she said another silent prayer that the woman before her would believe the ridiculous story spilling from Hermione's lips.

"I see." Minerva said at last, shifting her gaze to the fireplace and twiddling her fingers idly. "I'm afraid that you'll have to make due for the time being. We can send out for some new robes, but that could take up to a week."

"I'm so sorry about this, Minerva—"

"Oh don't be foolish. It's just a spot of bad luck. We'll order you some new robes and have them sent straight away, alright?" As she spoke, Minerva stood and came over to rest a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder. She beamed down at the young Gryffindor Prefect.

"Thank you, I should probably be getting to class." Hermione said, smiling at Minerva and standing to leave.

"No trouble at all, though I dare say you'll need a note to keep Severus off your back. You do have Potions next, correct?"

Hermione nodded and Minerva went to scribble a little message on a piece of parchment, which she handed to Hermione before sending her on her say.

Checking first her wrist watch and then her daily planner, Hermione decided to forgo the trip to the forth floor bathroom and instead chose the dungeon lavatory instead. Her chat with Harry and Ron had taken longer then she'd anticipated and she didn't fancy having to run up and down several flights of stairs for no reason.

* * *

Hermione Granger had not been the only person who skipped breakfast that morning. She was, in fact, one of three people who were notably missing from the Great Hall that morning.

Severus Snape had done something he could not recall himself ever doing before in his life, not even when he was a sullen youth: He had hit the snooze button on his alarm clock five times before turning it off and rolling over. It wasn't so much that he was tired, on no, he'd slept gloriously. The trouble was _why_ he'd slept so well.

He had dreamt. Not the normal nightmares that plagued him so often, no this had been a dream unlike any he had had in many long years. He had dreamed of his encounter with the know-it-all Granger girl. The dream had mostly been a pure memory, recounting every last torturous second of that night, but with an ending that left him both disturbed, flustered, and alarmingly giddy.

Rolling onto his back and putting his hands behind his head, Severus stared up at the ceiling above his bed. The white wash and plaster were cracking in places, but they had been a welcome home to him for more years then he wanted to think about just then. Letting his eyes relax, he thought back across the dream.

_It changed just at the part where he'd accidentally looked down her blouse. He really hadn't meant to, it was a mistake. But in the dream, Miss Granger had seemed to know where his eyes had found themselves. She had smiled coyly and bitten her lip, hoisting the stack of books she was holding, making her enticing bosom jiggle ever so slightly._

_He gulped, audibly. She looked up into his eyes and in them he could see a dark fire burning. He found himself terrified of that look. She had seemed to revel in his nervousness. Had dropped her books to the flood beside them and advanced on him, pushing her tiny frame against his._

_He'd put his arms around her, not sure what else to do with them. She had purred and rubbed herself against him, harder this time, seeming to want him to know that she wanted him._

_She had wanted him._

_He felt her press her pelvis into him, trying for any response. She had looked up at him with those eyes, those dangerous eyes, and he threw all caution to the wind and pulled her to him, tightening their already intense embrace._

_He pressed his hardening member to her and she squeaked, but smiled at him wickedly. He had chuckled to see her so devious._

_"I can do anything you want, you know, Severus." She had said, in little more then a whisper._

_He growled and grabbed the back of her head, twisting his fingers in her soft, luscious hair._

_"What would you like, Severus?"_

_His name on her lips drove him mad and made his blood run feverishly hot. He could feel every nerve ending in his body reacting to this girl, this young woman whom he wanted more then air, more then life at that moment._

_She gave him the most endearing look. A crooked smile, her eyes still shining brightly with that dangerous look in them._

_"Tell me, Severus. Tell me what you want and I will be yours."_

_"I think you know what I want, Miss Granger." He said, smirking down at the little thing in his arms. She smiled at him, and dropped to her knees, clutching at his robes, never taking her eyes off of his._

_With a swiftness he could never had imagined she swept aside his long robes and had undone his belt buckle. Another second and his trousers were around his ankles and she was grabbing at his hard cock, trying to release it from his boxers._

_He watched her, both amused and amazed. She was so devastatingly lovely there at his feet, so terribly desperate to pleasure him. He smirked at her as she stared up at him._

_At last she freed him. She licked her lips and—_

Then there came the most abominable screeching noise and the entire thing melted into nothingness.

Sighing to himself he decided it wouldn't pay to lay in bed forever. Forcing himself up to a sitting position became suddenly aware that his dream had not been so far off from reality. He groaned at the hardness demanding attention. Finally he decided that a shower would do the trick. A shower with a little _finale,_ as it were. _When exactly did I become a prepubescent boy? _He wondered to himself as he made his way to his private bathroom to freshen up before classes began.

* * *

Remus Lupin had not attended breakfast because he had wanted to have a little chat with Draco Malfoy. Hermione had been acting strangely, and he suspected that her new friend might have some answers that Harry and Ron no doubt would not.

He had caught Draco as he exited the Slytherin common room in the dungeons. Saying that he wanted to have a word, he'd led them to a deserted classroom.

"I wanted to talk to you about Miss Granger." Remus said, leaning against the desk at the head of the room and looking directly at Draco.

"Sure, what about her?" Draco answers, sticking his hands in his pockets and shuffling back and forth.

"She's seemed a little off the past couple of weeks, and I'm wondering if you have any clues as to why. I'd ask Harry and Ron, but as I'm sure you're well aware, those boys are about as clueless as anything."

"Well, I mean, what do you mean off I guess?" Draco answered, wanting to know exactly how much Remus had picked up on before divulging any information.

Remus smirked at him, and decided that it couldn't hurt to tell one person the full truth. "Well, I had noticed her flirting with Severus rather a lot if that's what you're asking."

Draco's jaw dropped and for a moment he just stared, horrified. Then he seemed to stare off into nothing for a while, coming to terms with this revelation. "I guess. . . " He said finally, turning his gaze back to his professor. "But how could you possibly tell? I didn't even notice she liked him in the least until the meeting on the train."

"Let's just say I' have years of practice at being perceptive." Remus said, smirking again. "But down to business. All I need is a confirmation of my suspicions, and to know what else is on her mind. I don't intend to butt in, I'm just concerned."

"Well," Draco said, thinking. "She told me that she didn't like the person she was. She said she wanted to be more. . . well _bad_, I suppose is how you'd put it. She wanted to be more desirable and more carefree. She never mentioned one word about Snape, but if you'd been at that meeting you'd probably have known for sure."

"Mm, I see. Thank you, Draco." Remus said, beginning to loose himself in thought. "Thank you," He said again, distracted. "You should get to breakfast. And keep an eye on her, alright?"

"Sure thing Professor Lupin." Draco said, giving him a little salute before leaving.

"So my intuition wins again." Remus muttered to himself once Draco was gone. "I'll have to see about this." And with that he set off towards the Potions professors quarters.

* * *

Severus heard the knock on his door just as he'd stepped out of his shower. He had been planning to skip breakfast and have another session with his pensieve. His feelings for the Granger girl seemed to be persisting for some strange reason, and he really didn't need it interfering with his teaching abilities. It worried him though, that even though he had stored all of his memories concerning her in jars locked away and hidden in secret, the thoughts still plagued his mind. He was just in the middle of mulling over that fact when the knock came.

"Who is it?" Severus asked, raising his voice enough to be heard through the heavy dark wood door.

"It's Remus, may I come in?" Remus Lupin? What in the world could he want? Severus had no idea, but decided that a friendly chat could be made much shorter were he still wearing only bathrobe, rather then getting fully dressed.

"Enter." He said, leaning against the bed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" Remus said, entering and seeing Severus' attire.

"No no, was just getting a quick shower before class. What did you need?" Severus made sure to sound as bored and irritated as possible, wishing more then ever to be alone.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something." Remus said, adopting a strange look in his eyes that trouble Severus on an instinctual level.

"Well I would assume so, seeing as you're here and talking." Severus answered. He refused to let Remus goad him into giving something away. That look in his eye. . . he was out for blood and Severus intended to keep his to himself.

"Quite." Remus said slowly, giving his old nemesis a smile that chilled Severus' blood. "May I?" He said, indicating a chair by the fire. Severus shrugged and moved to sit across from him, keeping his arms firmly crossed over his chest.

"Now then—oh, I don't suppose I could trouble you for a drink?"

"At this hour?" Severus stared at him, one eyebrow raised in a combination of shock and amusement. "It's not nine in the morning yet!"

"Trust me." Was all Remus would say. Even more concerned, Severus went to a small cabinet on his bookshelf and retrieved two glasses and a bottle of firewhisky. Pouring himself a splash and Remus a shot, he sat back down, glaring at the man across from him.

Remus drank his shot in one swift swallow as though it were little more then water and set the glass down on the coffee table. Severus eyed him, sipping at his drink. When it became apparent that he would have to initiate the conversation he huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Remus? Is there something I can do you for, now that we've sat and drunk in awkward silence?"

Remus smiled and leaned forward. "I believe I know something that you will not like me knowing. And before I tell you what and give you the chance to throw me out of here on my ass, let me just say that I have a great deal more respect for you then you could possibly know. Also, I think you will be in need of a friend in the days to come, and I wish to extend myself as such."

"Comrades in arms?" Severus scoffed, sneering and attempting a laugh to cover his apprehension. This was going nowhere good and was headed there dreadfully fast. He wished the damn man would just get to the point. "What, pray tell, do you know?" He asked finally.

"That Hermione Granger has feelings for you, and that you in turn have some measure of feelings for her." Remus spoke clearly and slowly, keeping his voice low and never taking his eyes off of Severus'.

It was all Severus could do not to deck him right then and there. Instead, he set his glass down and stood, turning away from Remus. "I believe you know what comes next?"

"Of course, I'll just throw _myself_ out then, shall I?" Severus made no reply, but he could hear Remus stand and head for the door. He tried to breath, to remain calm. He must not react—_too late for that now,_ a nasty voice inside his goaded. _No, I must remain calm, _he told himself, trying to steady his breath.

"Just, remember _all_ of what I said, alright?" Was all Remus said before closing the door behind him.

Severus counted down from fifty, giving Remus plenty of time to leave before he screamed, and threw his glass into the fireplace. _Time for the pensieve, _he decided, and stalked off to remove even more hateful memories before classes begun.

* * *

It became apparent to Hermione all too late just _why_ Ginny had specifically told her to use the restroom on the forth floor, rather then the one in the dungeon. It's wasn't exactly packed, but it was a breeding ground of whispering giggling girls, something Hermione never did feel quite comfortable with, especially when most of those girls were staring at her openly as she smooth her hair and applied her lipstick. She gritted her teeth and checked her watch again. Five more minutes until the infamous Potions master would arrive in class. Seven minutes until he was settled in and it was safe for her to go and speak with him about a late night study session. Ten minutes until class began. This torture was almost as bad as waiting up in her room had been.

Sighing and glancing over her shoulder she slid the lipstick into her rucksack and turned to leave. She was brought up short by two girls blocking her path. Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode. _Brilliant_, she thought as she eyed them warily.

"And just what are you doing, looking all sassy out of your robes, Granger?" Pansy sneered, though Hermione did take note that she had been called by her sir name, rather then one of the many nasty insults Pansy had used on her in the past. It seemed not even the most wretched had the gall to use any words such as those since Voldemort's demise.

"If you must know my robes were destroyed, Parkinson." Hermione said, narrowing her eyes. She could feel every single eye in the lavatory boring holes into her back, and all she really wanted as to get out as quickly as possible.

"Oh really, and it has nothing to do with the fact that you're trying to steal Draco Malfoy?" Pansy spat out, loosing some of her composure.

"What are you on about, Pansy?" Hermione said, confused.

"You heard her just fine Mud—" Millicent started to say, but Pansy stepped on her foot and glared at her. "What?" She said, then shut her mouth and hung her head, scowling something fierce at her shoes.

"You heard me." Pansy said at last, returning her hate filled eyes to Hermione's.

"I'm sure I must have misunderstood, because it sounded like you think I'm interested in Draco Malfoy." Hermione said, straightening her back and standing a little taller.

"Oh, no misunderstandings there. Everyone saw you at dinner last night. And everyone saw how he stared at you." Pansy moved closer to Hermione, lowering her voice. "He spent the summer with you, right? And what now, you think you can just snatch him away from—"

"From who?!" Hermione said, raising her voice and causing everyone in the room to gasp. Pansy looked a little taken aback. "From a Slytherin? From a Pureblood? What, Pansy? What am I trying to take him away from other then an idiot who's so dense she can't even tell that Malfoy is too sophisticated to ever want a slut like her?"

For a moment, Hermione was sure that she must be dreaming. She would never have dared say something like that were it not a dream, so that must surely be what this was. Nothing more then a terrifying dream. When she couldn't convince herself to wake up, and was left with the reality that she had just called the most popular Slytherin, and one of the most popular girls in the entire school a slut in front of what surely must be the entire female student body, she decided it was time to exit the bathroom.

No one said anything as she left. She slammed the door, not so much for shock value, but more to try and contain the dreadful conversation in the bathroom. It was a faint hope, but perhaps somehow it would stay there, and not seep out and saturate the entire school. In her heart though, she doubted it very much. Sighing again she proceeded down the hall to Potions. She still had a schedule to keep to.

* * *

Severus was not having a good day. His first class had. . . well, it had happened and he was fairly certain he'd said things and written instructions for them to fallow. He wasn't positive though. His mind had been rather fuzzy since his last session of memory removal and he was beginning to wonder if he had displaced too many thoughts in the process.

The conversation with Lupin earlier hadn't help either. He had a vague recollection that he had said something nasty, but having culled so many memories, it was hard to decipher what, and the nagging in his mind was giving him a headache, not to mention that he was forced to begin his day with first years.

So it was with a great sense of impending doom that he greeting Hermione Granger. He knew there was something he was forgetting, and he knew that he had a very good reason for removing the memory, but it still bothered him that he had no idea what this girl could want. Never the less, he was determined to remain calm and to behave in a completely normal fashion. It was probably just his headache making him feel this way.

"Yes Miss Granger, how may I help you?" He said, smirking at her nastily. She seemed rather flustered, though not by his words it appeared. And she was out of her school robes! "And why are you out of uniform?" He said, rising from his seat and adopting a scowl.

"My apologies Professor." She said in a small voice, bowing her head. "There was an accident. I have a note from the Headmistress, sir." She extended her hand with a rolled piece of parchment in it. As he took in, his fingers grazed her tiny hand and a jolt went up his arm. Suddenly he started to remember just what he'd wanted so badly to forget. Groaning inwardly he unfurled the piece of paper and read the note intently, not wishing to look at her one second longer then necessary.

"I see." He said when he'd finished reading Minerva's ridiculous excuse for a pass. Demolished robes? That was the biggest load of dragon dung he'd heard since his own days at Hogwarts. "Well, I suppose with a pass from the Headmistress, it would not be fitting of me to dock house points for your attire." She started chewing on her bottom lip, and he felt his stomach tighten as the blood drained from his face to his nether regions. "Please remember however," He continued, swallowing hard, "that this note expires in one week. I expect you in your proper uniform the very second they arrive, is that clear?"

She nodded and then shuffled her feet as though she had more to say.

"Yes, was there something else Miss Granger?" He asked, leaning against his desk and crossing his arms over his chest if for no other reason then he was feeling slightly lightheaded.

"Well, sir. It's in regards to the books you lent me the other night." She said, finally lifting her golden brown eyes to meet his.

_Oh dear, what is she talking about, _raced though his mine again and again. He remembered something. . . something had happened, but what? Had he lent her books? Surely he would never loan her books from his private collection! Why should he ever do that? _Perhaps because of what she does to you,_ came the ever unwelcome voice in his head and he knew that this would only get worse before it got better.

Muster all the self control he still possessed and reaching to massage the bridge of his nose to cover whatever expression might give him away, he said simply, "Yes?"

"Well, sir. It's just that, I'm afraid I was unable to finish with them, as you had requested. So, I was hoping the offer of an after dinner study session was still open."

Dear sweet Merlin, what had he agreed to last night? Had he really taken this annoying girl into his private library and given her his books?! And now what, was he supposed to simply quiesce to her request and let her _return_?

"Sir? Are you quite alright?" Her voice broke his mental turmoil, which he assumed meant he had started to trace it's way across his face.

"Yes, Miss Granger." He said, scowling all the more fiercely down at her. "I am afraid that my first class of the day has left me strained. Would you kindly remind me of the books you borrowed?"

"Oh, you gave me a few volumes that pertained to the test we'll be having on Wednesday. You requested that I finish with them and return them to you at class today, but I'm afraid I was too exhausted from the first year orientation that I couldn't quite finish. You said that in the event I was unable to finish with them, you would allow me to return to your personal library this even after dinner."

_Fuck._

"Very well, Miss Granger. After dinner—"

"Seven sharp?" She said, sounding for all the world like an eager little child.

". . . yes."

"Thank you very much Professor!" She said, smiling.

He was saved from further conversation with her because the bell began to sound, and the door soon flew open as Gryffindors and Slytherins poured in to take their seats. This was going to be a very long day indeed.

* * *

Draco had been planning to speak with Hermione after Potions. His conversation with Remus earlier had left him burning with curiosity and devilishness and he was eager to see her reaction when he told her about it. He never got the chance however, because the very second class was over, the girl was off like a shot and he had to jog to just keep her in site as she ran through corridors all the way to the forth floor girls lavatory. _What the bollocks is she doing?!_ He thought irritably to himself as he finally stopped, leaning against a wall to catch his breath.

To his great surprise and interest, a moment later Ginevra Weasley passed him on the way to the very same bathroom. She smiled at him as she passed and he gave her the most devilish but pleasant smile he was capable of. She blushed slightly and quickened her pace before disappearing behind the door. Draco waited a moment, then walked over to the door himself. Leaning his ear against the door and when he was quite sure that the room was abandoned save for the two girls, he entered.

They didn't so much scream as produce an elongated squeal that filled the lavatory and ricocheted off the walls painfully. Draco gave an exaggerated wince and applied a pained expression which he directed at the two young woman.

Neither appeared to be mollified and were glaring at him and advancing. This was perhaps not going to go as well as he had anticipated.

"What—!"

"Are—!"

"You—!"

"Doing in here?!" They cried, not thirty centimeters from his nose.

"Relax!" He cried, putting his hands up and backing away from their combined fury. "I just wanted to talk to 'Mione, that's all!"

"In the _girl's lavatory?!" _Ginny asked, glaring more fiercely in skepticism.

"The _forth floor _girl's lavatory!" Draco said defensively. "Everybody know no one comes up here! It's not close to any classrooms!"

"Is _that_ why you wanted me to be up here?" Hermione asked, seemingly forgetting about Draco's manly intrusion upon the little girl's room.

"Well yeah! I didn't think you'd want an audience!" Ginny answered, somewhat defensively.

"You could have bloody mentioned that! I have no idea! I went to the one in the dungeon!" Draco and Ginny shared a grimace. "I got cornered and call _Pansy Parkinson a __**slut**_!!"

"You WHAT?!" Ginny screeched as Draco burst out laughing.

"And you!" Hermione cried, rounding on Draco once more and pointing an accusing finger directly at his smirking face. "This is all _your fault!_"

"How exactly did I manage that, being that I wasn't even there?" Draco asked, managed to quell his laughing for the most part.

"She and that dump truck Millicent cornered me because Pansy thought I had a crush on you! She thinks I'm trying to steal you away from all the Slyther_whore_ Purebloods!"

Draco tried not to laugh, but the idea was just too hilarious. And Hermione Prissy-Pants Granger using such language as _Slytherwhore_ compounded the humor ten fold. Ginny punched him in the arm, but that did nothing to diminish the abject hilarity that had infecting the situation. He backed away until his back met the wall and he slowly collapsed to the floor, wiping tears from his cheeks. Ginny seemed to furious with him to comfort her distraught friend, so Draco made a considerable effort and managed to get his hysterics under some semblance of control.

"Hermione Granger!" He cried finally, slowly getting to his feet once more. "Calm down!"

She stared at him, her mouth clamped shut tight. Ginny softened her expression, but she still did not look pleased. He decided that it was time for an explanation, damn the Weasley girl, she was about to hear a mouthful.

"I have some rather interesting news for you, if you're quite done." Hermione blinked, her jaw loosened slightly, but she remained silent. He took this as the most invitation he was likely to receive and chose to continue. "I had a talk with Professor Lupin this morning, before breakfast. He knew there was something up with you, and wanted to know if I had any insight. I'm no snitch, so I asked what he meant and he told me that he knew you'd been flirting with Professor Snape all summer and wanted to know what was up." He paused to relish the look of complete horror on Hermione's face. She looked just like a person who wanted to melt into the floor boards. He smiled, making an effort to make it a pleasant smile at the least.

"I told him that you wanted to recreate yourself, to be. . . well, I guess better is how _you_ would think of it. And that was it!" He said, leaning his back against the wall again, testing his head on his hands, awaiting their reaction.

Hermione dropped to the floor, clutching her hair, her eyes getting bigger and bigger by the second. She looked almost on the verge of tears. Ginny rushed to her side, dropping to the floor beside her. Draco rolled his eyes, but abandoned his wall and came to sit with them, dropped down in front of them and crossing his legs.

"Oh no oh no no no oh no oh no no—" Was all Hermione would say. Ginny was trying to soothe her friend, but she didn't seem to be having much luck. Draco finally scooted forward and grabbed the hysterical girl by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him.

"Hermione." He said and she stopped muttering and just stared at him, terror in her eyes. "You need to calm down. This is going to be okay!"

"He's right, 'Mione." Ginny added, smoothing her friends hair comfortingly. "It really will be okay!"

"Yeah!" Draco piped in, cheerily. "You've got Ginny _and_ me on your side now!"

"Together, nothing can stop us!" Ginny said, pumping her fist in the air. Hermione gave her a doubtful look. This was going to take some drastic measures.

"Come on," Draco said suddenly, standing and extending both of his hands to help his friends up. The looked at him blankly, though Ginny was finally smiling. She _was_ rather cute when she smiled. "We're going to cheer you up weather you like it or not!" He finished, grabbing both of their hands and dragging them up. He let go momentarily, spun on his heel so he was facing the door, and reached behind him and re-grasped their hands. Once in tow, he led them out the door and down the stairs.

"Where exactly are we going?" Ginny said, a hint of mischief in her voice.

"We've got class! I've got class!" Hermione cried in a tiny voice, sounding desperate. "It's the first day! Let me go, I have class!" She was trying feebly to free herself from Draco's hold on her.

"You are doing a dreadful job of 'improving yourself' 'Mione!" Ginny cried, smiling at her and pulling herself free of Draco's hand to swing her arm around his shoulder onto Hermione's. Draco turned to smirk at her and she winked at him. Hermione ceased her protests, but still looked peaky. _Not to worry_, he thought gleefully, _where we're going could cheer up the dead!_

* * *

**Notes from the author. . .**

Oh my dear lord that took _forever_ to write, you have no idea! Well you do, because you my lovely and wonderful readers were the ones waiting to read it. I hope you can forgive me since this chapter is _long _and I simply could not have done it without the reviews and love that you have given me. You lot are really just amazing!

Also, as I'm sure you can tell by now, I'm messing around with the pensieve and what the effects of it's over usage might be. I was never quite clear myself as to how it actually worked. Did you remember the memory you had stored, or was it just a recollection that you put something in there that pertained to something else? And what happens if you use it too much, extract too many memories? And what would happen if you tried to remove memories of someone you cared for deeply? Would the emotions cause the memories to slip back in? Or would you have just a jumbled, confused feeling? All things that I've wondered about and will be exploring in the chapters to come.

Lastly, I would like to apologise for some weirdness with Hermione's age. I'll admit, when I originally started the story I had the time turner in mind, but I only aged her up to be 19 because I thought I could write a 19's perspective better then a 17 year olds. However **tonksinger** makes a brilliant point about how ridiculous that is (go read her profile), and I think that I'm capable of writing her at her intended age, so that's what we're going to go with. Sorry if there was confusion, it's been fixed now.

**Notes to YOU!**

**Yugia – **I hope this is soon enough for you! It's super long, so I hope you enjoy! The next should up soon.

**notwritten – **Thanks so much! I certainly will!

**iceball19 – **Thank you so much, I'm so glad! The way I think of the castle of Hogwarts, is a little like a sentient being, that can shift it's walls and passages whenever it feels like it. Anyone can get lost there, I'm pretty sure even Dumbledore could. Hope that helps! And remember, you never know when a turn down an ordinary corridor might lead to another surprise!

**icy-fox-demon – **Oh, thank you so much! That's really wonderful of you to say! I hope you like this chapter just as much!


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